re Offensive terminology

[DoJo]

I will confess from the off that this is kind of a thread about a thread, but really didn't want to de-rail/feed the troll depending on how you view it. However, it was mentioned a few times that 'moron' was an offensive term, and as I had never come across someone offended by it, I turn to the mighty google to research its origins. Whilst it turns out that the term was coined by Henry H Goddard to (and I'm quoting directly from wikipedia here)
"denote mild mental retardation" and "to describe a person with a mental age in adulthood of between 8 and 12 on the Binet scale".

'Fair enough' I think to myself, glad I know this as I wouldn't want to use a term which anyone would find offensive. However, the article goes on to describe the other terms used by Goddard on the same scale which include 'idiot' 'imbecile' and 'stupid'. Now, I am pretty sure that I have never seen anyone lambasted for using any of those terms on here, and also reasonably convinced that their move into everyday terminology has softened their impact significantly. So why is moron still considered (by some at least) more offensive than those other terms?

Disclaimer - genuinely not trying to start a bun fight. I just find the origins of words interesting and would be interested to know why some provoke a stronger reaction than others.

These posts are truly awful.
I had no idea.
It must alter perspective on life, and not for the better.

I probably live in what people would think of as a naice area. Though it certainly has poor people as well, but everyone seems to rub along, and help each other out.
Makes me wonder what the people round here think, whether they are thinking differently below the surface or not.

I live in the centre of one of the most affluent areas in the country.

We get shouted at regularly , particularly when DS2s bus it at the gates.

It's not a class thing. It's an awareness thing. Just because you don't see it does not mean it isn't happening all the time

sadly people dont come with 'I am a disablist twnt' tattooedon there foreheads.
But its on my list for when I'm world dictator
But you can see why words like spaz and retard boil my knickers. I hear them too often, directed at my child to hurt. So to hear them bandied around is horrible. They are words designed to hurt and if someone says 'I find them hurtful and offensive' then how hard is it to not use them around that person? In the same way the N word was used to hurt and denigrate people and at first white people might have rolled their eyes and not seen the problem or thought 'pffft, proffessionally offended' but right thinking people stopped using them in order not to hurt and offend then right thinking people can extend the same courtesy to disablist words.
And to be honest I'm sure they already do.
Disablist twnts and those who wish to keep the right to hurt and pretend its all about free speech sadly will never change. They wont see the pain in the eyes of a 10 yo child.

*their

I never made the connection that "free speech", just means that people like disablist twnts can try and say and write what they like.
It is a smokescreen isnt it?

Ooooh can I tell my free speech story now...

A woman on here was blathering on about free speech and how she was allowed to use 'retard' if she wanted - its a free country and she said that no PC types were allowed to tell her what to say.
I said of course. But if she used retard I was entitled to think she was a massive cunt.
She reported me.
Mwahahahaha !
Twat.

Pag that's hilarious!!

Quite often people who would never dream of using racist terms defend their right to use disablist ones. Like disabled people as a gorup arent quite human or something.
Ive never figured out what is going on in their heads. Or perhaps they'd like to be racist too bt are afraid of being beaten up?

It really really was Dotty.

It took her ages to get it as well. Double twat.

and

But just had another unsettling thought.
Aren't MN trying to go for free speech, or am I thinking of soemthing else entirely such as libel?

That's hilarious pag - what was MNHQ's response?

Saintly - they did delete me but it was fair enough.
I was quite pleased actually. One of the few times being deleted was a good thing

As we are thread about a threading, someone posted that Stephen Fry quote about being offended the other day and I've never been able to buy into that one.

It's bandied about like Stephen Fry is the font of all wisdom or something, and that his comment is the only reasonable end to any argument where someone's feelings are hurt and someone else doesn't want to admit it's because they were acting like an arse.

It's all just a little disingenuous, this denial of personal responsibility if someone is hurt or offended by you. It's like insisting that the word Paki is just a simple abbreviation, like Brit or Aussie, and has no racist connotations at all.

My own experience of being hurt by a word whose original usage has changed slightly was very upsetting.

I was in hospital, pregnant with DS and waiting for a cervical stitch to be put in and the anaesthetist came to speak to me. And the very first question she asked me was "and how many abortions have you had?"

She must have seen how shocked I was because she clarified with "I mean, spontaneous abortions rather than medical ones."

We'd lost a son to stillbirth and then had a premature daughter who died when she was two hours old. Neither of which I would call an abortion, especially not when I had a living baby, but I've been told it's a medical term. They must know though, that it's at best a hurtful and upsetting one and at worst an offensive and heartbreaking one.

Another midwife insisted on calling my premature daughter "your second miscarriage" whenever she spoke to me.

I think those are medical terms that could stand to be changed. It might be common terminology among medical staff but it has a very different meaning to most patients.

What gets me, is that my DD is kind, funny (hilarious, in fact - she has everyone in stitches), generous, thoughtful, friendly to a fault, engaging, adventurous, and determined.

So why is it that some people can only think of (and say) the word 'retard' to describe her?

Zzz..I am outraged at those kitchen staff. That is disgusting. They should be sacked.

My humble opinion is..

If people don't have a close family member with a disability, they should wind their necks in and not tell those that have that they shouldn't be offended.

Have been working so now will read whole thread.

Anyone who thinks we are too easily offended should imagine how they would feel if people took the piss, laughed at and did impressions of their child when out in public.

Back having read thread. And nothing to add really.

Am a bit jaded these days and have seen this thread too many times.

It all comes down to not viewing people with a learning disability as lesser.

Words which refer to having a learning disability as an insult are just wrong and shouldn't be used.

Its not rocket science is it.

zzzz.yes, just pity them for being so ignorant and insensitive.

There are a heartening number of good people on this thread (as well as a couple of stirry types and the odd tedious intellectual who thinks they can make people's real feelings into some sort of wordy debate).

I've come back to this thread. Some of the stories are heartbreaking. However although there's been some disagreement I think the thread shows the forum at its best. Mothers passionate about their children and there hasn't been one deletion as people exchanged ideas. I'd not been aware of the full extent of the public's ignorance and I think it's sad that so many people still have so much to learn or such chasms to jump before they manage basic empathy and respect for their fellow human beings.