The D word will be as offensive as the N word': The term 'disabled' is insulting.

[Raelbo]

The meaning didnt change because its still being used in the medical field,it just gained another meaning to it.

Just because it's still being used in the same way in some contexts doesn't negate the fact that the word's meaning has undergone change. "gaining another meaning" is, by definition, a change.

Now it has two:
Literal : a condition
Figurative/spiritual : behavioural pattern

And what happens if you extrapolate into the future? As I said, its meaning is changing. It used to mean one thing. Now it means 2. In the future, will the original term still be viewed as relevant.

50 years ago the word "Golliwog" was a fictional literrary character and a children's toy. 30 years ago it attained a second meaning as a demeaning term for a black person. Today it is only viewed as a racial pejorative.

Again, having autism is negative. Its not like it became so when people started using it figuratively.

Using the term to describe an unfortunate medical condition is patently not the same as using the term to denigrate someone.

Using it that way does not make fun of/demean actual autist. How does one make that leap?

It's not a leap. It's the result of actually thinking about it instead of just following a "monkey see, monkey do" philosophy.

You're transposing the traits of one group of people with another. While your intention may only be to pass the properties of autist onto the person you're trying to insult, you're simultanteously passing the undesirable properties of the person you're trying to insult onto the autist. The insult goes both ways whether you consciously recognise it or not.

Again, i did not make autism into a bad thing. It was bad to begin with. You are the one deciding its demeaning.

What? If someone calls someone else "autistic" on a forum like this, it's almost certainly being used to demean. Why else call someone "autistic"? Or are you trying to argue that somehow it's a compliment?

Like now you've define using a word as also doing more than just that, namely making fun of autistic people.

As I said, that may not be your intent. But, by logic, you are insulting both the person you're trying to insult, as well as the autistic people.

Calling you autistic, does not mean i have something against autistic people.

I get what you're saying. Most people who call someone else autistic as a means of insult, don't necessarily have anything against autistic people. They're simply copying what they've seen other people do without bothering to actually think about the deeper implications of what they're saying. But think about this: How did the "insult" originate if not because whomever starting using it had a prejudice against autistic people. And by copying the behaviour, do you not recognise how you're serving to normalise the use of the term as an insult, and how that association is going to cut both ways?

My question, does the figurative usage make the word less serious or more serious? In comparison with the condition itself.

It's not about degree of seriousness. It's about different meanings entirely.

At this point you've not "got" my argument because you're only seeing the way the term is used today, but you're failing to analyse consequences going forward or how the word will be viewed in 20 or 30 years time.

[Elkfingers]

The Daily Mail is a really trustworthy source.

I can't imagine that loads of people here have much of an interest in preliminary deliberations over Syndey City Council's disability policies. Also 'considering a plan' seems pretty vague to me. I could 'consider a plan' to construct a giant wicker effigy of Rupert Murdoch but that doesn't mean that I have any intention of actually getting shitloads of wicker in of an evening.

Literally the only point of this article is to generate fake outrage over something barely even tangential to the wider discussion on inclusivity so everyone can get all up in arms like "LOOK! The Lord Mayor of Sydney is considering a plan to call disabled people something completely silly instead. Surely, this is the straw that will break the camel's back."

Except actually almost certainly they're not going to call disabled people 'access inclusion seekers', and for the most part inclusivity is a good thing. But you don't hear about it when it's working well, because that's not news. Clearly though this incredibly long, meticulously researched exposé of Syndey City Council from the Daily Mail is top news. The best.

[Raelbo]

Also 'considering a plan' seems pretty vague to me.

Reading the article and applying a bit of thought to it, what it actually means is that a single individual in her council suggested it. Of course what the Daily Fail wants the average reader to conclude is that it's basically a done deal because, as you rightly point out:

Literally the only point of this article is to generate fake outrage

[Soot]

Not true. The meanings and implications of words change over time according to how they are used.

Here's a very clear example: Autistic.

Autism is a very specific condition. But calling people "autistic" is a common insult used by gamers. The result is that "Autistic" is becoming synonymous with "Stupid" which obviously is offensive to people who actually have (or care about people with) the condition of autism.

It's such a common thing to pervert words descriptive of some human condition into a demeaning pejorative that most people don't even notice it. Here are a few more:

"Dumb"
"Retard"
"Gay"
"Girly"



What I am saying is that those words come into existence for legitimate reasons, but are perverted over time to take on bad meaning. The problem isn't with the words, but with the people who decide to use them as pejoratives.

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The only thing the mayor did was to hear Mr Tonga out. That doesn't mean she has any intention, or is seriously considering acting on his ridiculous suggestion. It's the daily fail ffs. Their entire business model revolves around deliberately sensationalising non-stories and presenting them in such a way that they are drastically distorted.

I really should've listened to MalwareByte when it gave me the big "THIS IS CLICKBAIT" warning.

[grexly75]

nigger/neggro , retarded ,fuck ect

all of those are just words , i don't understand what's the big deal in speaking them beside in the presence of children
but to fair i'm not american so i could miss something

There is the saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.." Well that was how it used to be, these days though everything is offensive, the problem is, is that quite a few people have lost the ability to filter out and ignore certain words..

[Nefastus]

Nothing on this earth is more oppressive that political correctness. Once you oppress someone's ability to speak, you restrict their ability to think

Thats a nice sentence. Did you create it yourself or read somewhere? Such a good way to describe this nonsense thats the PC crap.

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There is the saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.." Well that was how it used to be, these days though everything is offensive, the problem is, is that quite a few people have lost the ability to filter out and ignore certain words..

I dont understand why words such as nigger is ofensive to the point of having to be described as the "N word" in USA by non blacks but at the same time you can say that crap all day long if you are a black person. In Brazil we dont have this nonsense of if you are X race you can use X terms that could put in jail if you are from Y race. If you are black and yell racist offenses to another black person you can go to jail. We had a football match where a player was harassed by racist insults and most of the people doing it where also black and they got in trouble as well.

[Nfinitii]

Old article but.. fuck it this is "Disabled" as fuck.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...kers-plan.html






Genius plan. I'm sure the words "Access Inclusion Seekers" people are gonna catch on quick. Almost nobody I have ever met has ever considered someone with a "D*********" someone who should be mocked and ridiculed because of said word.

This is how privileged ppl are now a days, their biggest problem is how offended they are.

[breadisfunny]

we all know the daily mail is offensive.
also draenei are offensive.

[Crillam]

nigger/neggro , retarded ,fuck ect

all of those are just words , i don't understand what's the big deal in speaking them beside in the presence of children
but to fair i'm not american so i could miss something

Agree, but later those were deemed racist. When I grew up i was taught that so I also now see those as offensive. However my grandparents do not. They grew up calling black people nigger because that's what they were called back then, and they don't see anything wrong with using that word.
But yeah in the end of the day they are just words and it's quite silly.

[MrLachyG]

"hey Jerry, did you ever find out what disabled the mechanism in the machine?" "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME!!!???"

[Nellise]

They just changed the name of the disabled list to injured list in baseball because disability advocates whined about it.

While that might be somewhat true, calling it the "injured list" rather than "disabled list" is actually more accurate. The players are injured, not disabled. Pretty much every other sport calls it the injured list/reserve/etc.

OT: "Access Inclusion Seekers" for some reason feels more offense to me than disabled (I use a wheelchair myself and don't feel "disabled" is offensive to begin with), but I can't pinpoint why it feels so wrong. Maybe because I don't feel like I'm seeking anything? And it would be really awkward to say in a number of situations: "Can you tell me where the Access Inclusion Seekers parking is?"

[Daedius]

Condescending cunts is what they are.

[prwraith]

Honestly as culture changes it just makes it easier not to talk to people at all. Which is great for people like me.

[sonololo]

Stop being baited by rags like Daily Mail, please.

[grexly75]

I dont understand why words such as nigger is ofensive to the point of having to be described as the "N word" in USA by non blacks but at the same time you can say that crap all day long if you are a black person. In Brazil we dont have this nonsense of if you are X race you can use X terms that could put in jail if you are from Y race. If you are black and yell racist offenses to another black person you can go to jail. We had a football match where a player was harassed by racist insults and most of the people doing it where also black and they got in trouble as well.

This is one of the problems of society today, and something I will never understand, must be that I am old school and grew up during the 70's and 80's when people were pretty chill about everything, but then again the internet was not around back then so that would be one big reason.. And that the only swear words that would get you in hot water were 'shit' and 'fuck'..

[Adam Jensen]

Access Inclusion Seekers? What the fuck? That's ludicrous.

"Disabled" isn't insulting, it's just what they are. Sorry, if you're in a wheelchair, you're disabled. That's not an insult, that's reality. I can walk. You can't. Your ability to walk was disabled. Get it?

Access Inclusion Seekers . . . dumbest thing I've read so far today.

[Mister Cheese]

Why, you are behind the times! People are differently abled now (as if able was a verb).

"Able" is a verb. As in being able to do something.

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Just say nigger, you fucking fag.

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Let's call them Disabable.

I'm quoting an article. Calm your tits.

[Jonnusthegreat]

"Able" is a verb. As in being able to do something.

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I'm quoting an article. Calm your tits.

In that case the verb is "be" not "able."

[Reaper0329]

If I get infracted for calling people a troll. Why the fuck can they get away with calling people far worse?

Gotta remember this is MMO-C m8. I think if I casually dropped the phrase fracking usual suspects, that'd say about all I need to say on the subject without really delving too far into it. Just as an example.

[Captain Proton]

"Able" is a verb. As in being able to do something.

No, it's an adjective.