...to challenge disablist language on the dreaded Facebook?

[PolkaSpottyDotty]

Friend has posted a video today which is titled 'Utter M**G'

I have commented under it that using that word is unacceptable. Friend replies, well yes it is but the guy in the video is a disgrace to our troops.

Well, that doesn't make it right to call him a m**g, does it?! Or is it more important to shame those publicly who have disgraced 'our troops' than to shame those who perpetuate disablist language by sharing such vitriol?

YANBU. But I think you might have difficulty getting your friend to understand what the issue is.

YANBU, pity more people don't challenge unacceptable terms used on FB. If you report to FB about terms used they will ignore.

YANBU
I've often reported this sort of language to FB (R word etc ) but nothing gets done. It really annoys me.
I'm uncomfortable with confrontation but if I know the person well enough, I'll call them on it.

No, he doesn't get it. He's said that if you know someone with DS then you'd know it couldn't be further from the truth.

His background is forces, so is super defensive of anything forces based, and probably difficult to challenge.

I need a good comeback to finish off my argument!

Defriend him.

When he asks why tell him that you couldn't give a toss about his army background but his disablist language isn't something you want from a friend or all over your FB feed.

Would he get it if you pointed out that saying this disgrace to the troops is as bad as someone with DS is insulting to people with DS?

YANBU but getting people to understand is a different matter.

That particular word is very common around these parts. Everybody seems to know & agree that it would be very offensive & unacceptable to call anyone with a disability that word anymore - but people don't seem to grasp that it is unacceptable to use it to anyone in any context!

Also popular is the phrase "m*ed out" meaning exhausted .

YANBU. This is the second post I've seen today about the use of disabilist language, the other was from a mother whose son was on the receiving end at school. These sorts of terms are no more acceptable than n*r or p*i, yet people keep using them.

In the case of m**g I can imagine that many younger people don't actually know where the term derives from since Downs syndrome has entirely replaced the term it's shortened from, and therefore don't realise that it is a disabilist, but that still doesn't make it right.

A friend has a little boy with aspergers and still regularly uses the word R...d...

Oh, he is just thick. De-friend him and get on with your life. You will never change the attitude of thick people.

I've replied:

How many people know someone with DS though? It is as wrong to use a disablist word as it is to use a racist word, a homophobic term, or to insult / degrade troops or any other group of people. Maybe I feel more passionately about this because my DD has a learning disability and this is the kind of prejudice we will have to face as she grows up.

YANBU

I don't know what the M**G word is ......

It is short for mongol, or mongoloid, which is how people with Downs Syndrome used to be referred to. It is very offensive.