To think that calling someone "spa***c" is offensive?

[IglooLists]

I'm in a parenting group on FB that describes itself as a "respectful parenting community". Someone posted for some advice about her child's behaviour, and described him as "goes spastic". There was nothing in the post to suggest the child has any medical condition. I responded with some advice, and also said that I was struggling to get past the use of "spastic", and questioned the moderation of the group. Cue several responses to me suggesting that I don't know what the word means, it's my problem if I interpret it as offensive, it's just a word, etc etc. I felt like I'd stepped into a parallel universe!
Am I some kind of professionally offended snowflake or is that an incredibly offensive way to describe someone?

[Title amended by MNHQ]

@Samcro I definitely believed it was offensive, but the response on Facebook was unanimously that I was wrong. I wasn't trying to be provocative or upset anyone here; I was genuinely questioning my own interpretation of the word as offensive. As I said, it felt like a parallel universe to have everyone telling me it was totally fine.
I'm sorry for your DC's experience.

I was at school with a girl who had cerebral palsy in the 90s, in continental Europe. I was telling my British husband how brilliantly my school dealt with diversity, "they got this spastic girl to give a chat in assembly so everyone understood why she had certain adaptations". He was beyond horrified and told me it was an incredibly offensive word. I could tell he was shocked I'd used it. Thing is, it was a direct translation from my home language, and my class mate used to tell people she was spastic. In my home country it was used as a descriptor, not as an insult. I've never used the word since finding out how offensive it is in the UK.

I guess what I am trying to say is that context matters a lot with these things. That said, "being very spastic" sounds inconsiderate regardless of context, to put it mildly...

Why has my post been hidden? I was commenting on the different history of the word as used in the US, and that it is becoming less acceptable.

I have Cerebral Palsy so this word makes me shudder. It is a medical term which literally applies to me, but was frequently used by bullies.
It's really offensive to me to see the word to describe behaviour or personality..

Deeply offensive. The person must live under a rock not to know that.

If you read the OP 's updates, the person was in the US where the history and usage of the word is very different.

Of course it's horribly offensive in the UK, but in the US it has never been used for people with cerebral palsy (or any other disability).

Professionals in the US tend to use the term "intellectual and developmental disabilities." The "r" word is definitely increasingly considered offensive.

Also, as a related matter, "learning disabilities" in the US means what people in the UK refer to as "learning difficulties."

Gypsy/gypo is used a a derogatory term. Much as spastic was, hence the reason Scope changed their name. The Gypsy, Roma and Traveller advisory groups in the UK recognise the differences between the three ethnicities. You can't argue the semantics of using their own name.

Of course there are always some that will use it in a derogatory way. Doesn't mean there aren't groups who prefer the term.

I've spoken to local groups for work and I've always specifically asked what they want to be called in the final report. Only one has said anything other than "gypsy".

IMO it’s been seen as offensive for decades now. A long time ago it was a ‘normal’ term used for someone with cerebral palsy, but that stopped decades ago because it had turned into a term of abuse.

It's still in use medically in the UK though. But yes it's considered very offensive when not used in a medical context.

I remember these in the 70s! It said ‘Please Help Spastics’

To be honest the fact we have to stop using a medical word as some people turn that into an insult, and people with the condition come to see it as a put down is a bit horrible in itself.

In the 1960’s when doing paediatric training we were not allowed to use the word spastic the children had cerebral palsy.

So where did they get the word from, if not from the medical use?

I was born in the early 60s. I can recall collection boxes for spastic children. By the late 70s, society was already beginning to question the term.

People that police other peoples word and get offended on behalf of others are the worst.

Ridiculous statement. So if you heard someone using a racist or sexist term you'd say nothing?

@sunflowrsngunpowdr
It is widely known that the S word is offensive and I have the condition
Just like Golliwog toys were deemed racist in the 80's
It's not a case of policing peoples language
Are you in the habit of using terms which would be termed a hate crime nowadays?

Very derogatory!

What's "m*ng"?

Hugely offensive!

I went NC with a friend for saying this about her daughter as well as using the word retard. Everyone else in the friendship group took her side and I no longer speak to any of them.

All of us are SEN mums.

I stick by my decision!

In the UK? I'm a paediatric nurse and have never ever heard the term used, unless describing body condition. As in 'they have a lot of spasticity in their legs'