to think it's safe to say that there are a group of people that could be termed the 'Professionally offended'

[CanISawItOff]

Listening to people in RL reading threads online, reading the newspaper, watching the tv it seems there are a group of people who see it as their purpose in life to just be offended by, well, everything!!

AIBU to wonder where these 'professional offence takers' came from or have they always been lurking in the background?

Agree worra it is, in my view, people who can pick a fight in a padded room with themselves because they've found something to disagree with.

Yes I thought it was a new version of, the 'pc brigade' - I suppose I've noticed it on here, when someone from the SN boards goes on a thread and says something like, 'well it might be that the child has special needs', and a poster comes out with, 'oh gawd, here come the professionally offended'.

Do you not get the impression some people just come on here for a bunfight and use of that term is sure fire way to get one?

So who is this 'group of people'?

Agree with CanI. Doubt it was meant to belittle serious issues such as race discrimination or disablism.

I was thinking along the lines of people who compare breastfeeding in public with public urination and are mortally offended by a boob being used to feed a child.

It gets used about people who complain when disablist language is used, especially if that language has been in an informal or joking way.
Retard, Mong and Spaz have all been objected to, and refuted by cries of OMG, here come the professionally offended brigade.

I have seen plenty of posters on here who fall into the professionally offended camp, and none of it has anything relating to disabilities.

The beef tortilla thread was a great example of it for a start!

I'm glad it gets pointed out that retard is offensive. I no longer use it as I am aware it's offensive which I wasn't before! stoopid

It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so fucking what?

Stephen Fry

It is when people get offended on someone else's behalf that bugs me. Or when someone overhears someone else's conversation and gets offended. You can't change what someone else thinks of believes. Not yet anyway.

worra is right, of course. It's not about being offended by, for instance and as mentioned above, something really offensive like disablism. And for the life of me I don't see how "well it might be that the child has special needs" could in any way trigger "oh gawd, here come the professionally offended'" (whoever wrote that has clearly not understood the OP in any way!). There is, however, a small body of people who absolutely are offended and it won't take you long on here to find them! You know - the ones who start threads about people making small talk (Goodness! You've got your work cut out!) (What a lovely little girl! When it's a boy, but who knew!). And so on.

You lot trying to turn this into something else - have a look at yourselves!

But it gets thrown out as a response to someone challenging a casual disablist comment.

You may think it of some people but it seems to get posted about in the above context

It just means 'shut up and let me carry on being offensive'

Leave the bastardo

what AmberLeaf said.
it is always used against people who are offended about disablism

I see OP, you mean whingeing. Yes, everyone does that from time to time.

I thought you meant the way the term is often used on this site which is when people decide that because something doesn't bother them no one else has a right to question it.

They're especially vexed by people who aren't directly affected by something but speak up because they don't like to see it happening to other people.

It's ironic, really, given that they are so opposed to people taking offence where none is intended.

Offended by a beef tortilla thread???

The beef tortilla thread Prime example.

Obviously most Mnetters would never dream of using the disgusting language you've used there fallen. However I have seen posters ripped to bits for using language in the wrong way. I have worked with children and adults who have disabilities, I wouldn't say disabled children, I usually just say I worked with children etc. But sometimes a user will say "disabled children", be corrected and accept the correction to no heed from those who corrected them. Even after the apology and correction you still have posters laying into them.

Actually. I was browsing this morning and saw a MN side link that used the phrase "disabled children", I just caught a glimpse as I had already clicked elsewhere. Will try to find it again.

You lot trying to turn this into something else - have a look at yourselves

Ha! See what you just did there?

The beef tortilla thread

Is it wrong that this made be instantly think of a fanny?!

See, that's the other problem with using the phrase 'professionally offended' -its lazy. State your case OP. And fight your corner. What conversation did you 'over hear'

All it means is you aren't offended by the offensive thing.

amberleaf Don't forget the people who like being offensive but are bitterly disappointed you can't speak your mind any more these days without some namby pamby creature saying: 'Oi, what did you just say?'

"Is it wrong that this made be instantly think of a fanny?!" Given your user name I already assumed most things made you think of fannies

Could somebody link to the beef tortilla thread

I never come across these people in real life, only on mumsnet!