To think that this is an absolutely disgusting thing to read in a TEENAGE readership magazine.

[SantasStrapOn]

In my photos.

I can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to write that, let alone publish it in a magazine aimed at teenagers.

It is not an English magazine, it's the US magazine 'Seventeen'. Does it mean something else there, or is it equally offensive? And actually, the fact that it's aimed at teenagers is irrelevant. It's not suitable for any age group.

X-posts with everyone

Why are you reading an American magazine aimed at teenagers?

Spaz and retard are used commonly in America. That doesn't mean it's OK to use them though. They don't mean something different there, anymore than using gay to mean rubbish is acceptable here because 'it means something different now'. The connection between the original meanings of the word and the way in which they are used is still perfectly clear.

It means the same, but it's just not seen as offensive or a big deal. It's almost been normalised over there, so people just see it as the same as saying they are clumsy, or can't do something in a ladylike or co-ordinated manner.

It doesn't surprise me that it's in 17. There was a good reason that was shut down over here, I think! Not a magazine I'd want my future children reading.

A Southern US friend used Spaz when describing me, she meant clumsy and klutzy. She was genuinely shocked and very apologetic when I explained it means something different here. Still [shocked] at it though, especially as it's sold over here (sure I've seen it in Tescos?)

They are a bit they say spaz, retard... they say illegitimate which really annoys me. On DH Lynette Scavo and Tom's mother both said it about tom's child from before he met lynette. I always here this on americcan tv. drives me mad. But then, instead of mixed race they say bi-racial like mixed race is offensive!?

thats vile!

as an aside i LOVE your little dog dancing on the beach!!! i have just spent half an hour cleaning up.vomit and your little dig has cheered me up no end!

It's not terribly offensive here, no more than "dweeb" or "freak" and is used like that. Usually it's to refer to someone who doesn't think before acting. Retard is also used here, but it's on the euphemism treadmill, so it could be that the US us just behind the UK in this becoming totally offensive.

I can tell you that retard is becoming offensive and that in the mental health arenas the term "MR" is more accepted, as is developmental disability. But those are also on their way to being offensive too.

It still essentially means the same thing in America; it's just used in a different context (I think). So very offensive. that teenagers are taught that it's ok.

I had a friend (English) who didn't realise "mong" was offensive! She just thought it was a generic term - was very when I explained the etymology :)

Unfortunately almost all terms used for people acting in a less than sensible manner derive from medical terminology - idiot, cretin, moron... it's actually difficult to think of one which isn't offensive. Well obviously they're all offensive, they're meant to be, but offensive in the sense that they liken the insultee to somebody with a medical condition. Even the new euphemisms get picked up and turned into insults - look at "special". A sad reflection of a certain facet of human nature, unfortunately

I'm not surprised :(

Oh I wasn't reading it.

It's one of the DDs' magazines, they were shocked to see it and showed me. Being me, I thought I'd share it with you all.

I may fire off an angry letter.

Doesn't mean the same thing over there, like 'fag' doesn't mean the same thing here.

Yes retarded is used a lot by americans.

Fact is, this side or the other side of the pond 'spaz' is short for spastic. They may not find it offensive but it is. It just is, plain and simple.

I cringe everytime I see a meme clearly written by an american because of the open use of the word 'retarded'.

But if it is derived from the same word (spastic) then using it in any derogitory fashion is offensive. Whether American or British.

Curioussuze it must do. Someone just quoted The Little Mermaid as describing herself as acting like a spastic.

Im assuming Americans and others are im agreement what 'spastic' means?

I watched What Do Expect When You're Expecting (yes I know ) last week and one of the "daddy" characters used "spaz" to describe Chris Rocks' characters son who was very clumsy. I was really shocked.

This has led me to google - spasticity refers to the tightened/pulling of muscles that might make someone seem clumsy, so in that case you might say it is merely descriptive. BUT I could only see mention of such spasticity in conditions such as cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis, so you're back to spaz being a reference to disability and as such offensive.

As a child in the 70's we freely used spaz as a minor insult. But it was wrong then and it is now, I can't see why being American makes it different.

It's irrelevant that it's "acceptable" in the US. It's not here. The copywriter who came up with that needs smacking up the chops and so does whoever passed it as a good choice.

As an international company, they need to be aware of slang and how it is interpreted in different countries.

I'm a copywriter and that's basic stuff. I've written scripts for talking dolls meant for the Japanese market for instance and I carefully researched what was ok and what was not.

I think we should email and complain.

I disagree that it is the same as 'fag' for cigarette and 'fag' as an insulting term for a gay person. That's an example of the same word having two different meanings.

'Spaz' is derived from the term 'spastic', which is a medical term that describes conditions where the muscles are tightened, shortened or in spasm.

And spaz does mean the same thing there as it does here.

The fact that 'spaz' and 'retard' are used commonly in the States does NOT mean that it's 'OK' and 'acceptable'. It means that the majority of the people using those terms have not been educated about their conotations.

Fifty years ago, it was seen as acceptable to use the 'N' word to describe or denote a black person, because 'everyone said it'. Now, that word is so taboo that I don't even want to type it in full. And yet racists still use it. Knowing full well its power as an insult.

I disagree wholeheartedly with the 'everyone says it so it must be OK' attitude. The States is utterly behind when it comes to disablist language. We are ahead of them in this. It pains me to read some of the comments on here that suggest we should accept this because 'they don't mean it'.

Try being someone with cerebral palsy or autism living in the States with this type of language (and the attitudes that go with it) being prevalent. You'd soon realise it's not 'harmless' then.

The Americans just have a bit of a blind spot on this one. IIRC when BuffyTVS had 2 broadcasts on the BBC, one censored and one not, the only thing that they still cut out for the 11pm slot was the occasions when sympathetic characters merrily used "spaz" as an insult. It does suck, but it's not a failing of that particular magazine, it's a failure of US society, and it's not a fight we can have from here IMO.

(which is not to say that the fight isn't worth having - some US activists are doing really good work on "the R word")

didn't spastic become particually taboo here because it was used very nastily by bullies in schools after an 80's TV program about a lovely old chap who finally managed to communicate via a less disabled friend.

I guess there hasn't been that single thing in the States that made the word so unacceptable overnight.

The R word is just wrong it is always used to demean

Startail - are you thinking of Joey in reference to Joey Deacon. Makes me shudder to think.