use of the word 'moron'

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

could it be banned? do others find it offensive? I have seen it on 3 threads today already, should I report or just ignore? it has come up before and yet still I feel we have learnt nothing when users still put in in their posts.

Since it isn't based on disability gipsy I don't find it as offensive as moron. I wouldn't use it in polite company though.

You could start with, is this a word which has been used to abuse and stigmatize a disadvantaged group, maybe.

Is mongo bad? As in, (and I have heard this used in jest) "do you have mongitis?"

I don't think we have such a thing as 'polite company' purple.

Oh, totally agree if "hat" was a word used to bully, humiliate or even just describe a huge amount of disabilities without distinguishing between different symptoms and outcomes, then I hope it would become unacceptable.

If a word used to describe a disability is used as an insult then of course it is offensive, and hurtful to people who have that disability. You are basically saying, 'the worse thing I can think of is someone like that person over there'.

This could be an accepted term like autistic or special needs (eg 'god, that is so autistic', or 'those shoes are very special needs'.....both expressions I have seen on Mumsnet) or a term no longer used (like retarded or moronic).

Apostrophes - your 'belief' based on an absence of your own personal experience of an issue has absolutely no weight versus the evidence of people who actually have experienced the use of this term as abuse.

Both are anecdotal and of equal value, actually.

Gipsy, what do you think 'mongitis' means? How would you define that word?

A cunt is a part of 50% of the population
A cock is a part of 50% of the population

They are fairly equal opportunity insults, although I prefer arsehole, because everybody has one!

You could start with, is this a word which has been used to abuse and stigmatize a disadvantaged group, maybe. Errol you are my new hero, so much sense in one post. yes a thousand times to this and anyone who disagrees is an utter trilby
Yes gypsy mongo is bad too imo, mongol was a medical term for a person with Downs and became mong, mongo etc when I was a child it was used often along with spaz to poke fun at people with disabilities and used as an insult against others.

Call me whatever hat names you like...as you say, there is no discriminatory connotations. Just as moron doesn't to anyone most likely in living memory on this thread.
A victim because someone used the word moron on a forum, some people must have extremely sheltered lives

apostrophes - nope, actually not - logical fail.

If I happened to see a report at school that said retarded or even moronic and it described my disabilities, defined problems and was a label to gain support then it wouldn't be/ wasn't offensive tbh, I didn't know what they meant.
I began to understand they were words which meant I was stupid, and the teachers didn't like me because of these words.
They became the terms to sling and shout when I didn't understand.
"Look at Gilly, she's such a moron" when I couldn't add 2 columns of figures (at 7), she's so dumb, such an imbecile.
I wore a hat once, dunces, so hats are offensive.

I repeat a thousand times, my story is not unique.
If people don't find the terms offensive then I suppose that's a good thing as they obviously haven't been affected.

If just one person changes their mind after this thread then that's progress.
Thanks for starting the thread OP

er... mumoftwo - are you either not reading gillybeanz posts or are you calling her a liar?

Insulting each other is such a way of life, I had no idea such words were seen as disabilist, they all mean stupid/thick to me, and it's not just my city, a hell of a lot of others also use such language or worse freely.

I had no idea such words were seen as disabilist

Now you know, will it change anything?

seriously mumoftwo I am 54 and its been used plenty in my lifetime. why is it that people have to get so nasty when challenged? whose thevictim? not sure I can see where that term has been used. if you are referring to me? I am no victim, nor sheltered, I just happen to believe that we could be a lot more civilised by not using derogatory terms as insults.

Online, definitely, I'll watch my tongue. In day to day life, if I'm totally honest, probably not, as I've said, it's not seen in the same way and heard much worse. i wouldn't hold my breath with a nation that uses 'bawhair' as a recognised unit of measurement

I don't find moron or cretin any more offensive than idiot or imbecile.

They're all useful words.

No not all, but yes to the first one where 'newt will happen as it isn't disabling, racist' which says it isn't discriminatory? Or am I misunderstanding this?
I'm sorry, it's a commonly used, inoffensive word where I live and there are many more offensive words. But now I know, as I'm not a completely insensitive trilby I'll try alternatives for the future! Accommodating everyone's sensitivities might somewhat dramatically reduce my vocabulary but I'll have to wear it (the trilby) I suppose.
While we're at it, can everyone stop using the word 'moist'. For reasons I can't go into, that really does offend me.....

Trilby😂

I used the word 'victim' in 'blame the victim' ... .ie people who have been abused and bullied (like gillybeanz), victims of disablist behaviours IRL, and who are therefore hurt when people continue to use this term. Not as in 'oooh, someone used a rude word, i'm offended' .

I just don't get why people are defensive of continuing using this term. Can you really not express yourself some other way?

oh, xpost, well done mum . Not that hard!

I grew up using retard, spaz, moron, halfwit, imbecile, and idiot as insults and having them used about me. Also that thing where you pushed your tongue into your bottom lip. We never used them anywhere near people who were actually mentally disabled though, so we had a notion of how offensive they are. I don't use them now, except for the odd frustrated "idiot" or "halfwit", probably shouldn't use them at all.
I also don't use "hysterical" and am trying to get myself out of the habit of using gendered insults- "bitch", for example.
The ease with which "OMG" and "FGS" are thrown around bugs me a bit, I think it's offensive but Christians are expected to just put up with it. We got sharply told off for blasphemy as children even though my parents weren't overly religious so I think my discomfort with it stems from that.