Political correctness

[alizesmom]

This issue drives me nuts. The proper terminology changes on whim. If I were up to date:

Is my son black, African American or something else?
Is he mentally ******** or developmentally delayed?
Is he handicapped or disabled or otherly abled?
Is my daughter partially deaf or hearing impaired?
Am I short or vertically challanged?
Am I fat, obese or fluffy?

I personally find none of these terms offensive but know that some will. I just don't get the whole thing. While there are some terms that are universally considered in poor taste what makes one description okay and one not?

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I don't get it either, there are so many other things in life that would profit so much more if we all focused our time on them rather than creating diversions by raising the flag of a of new PC tag.

I'm short
I'm white
I'm a little chunky


.... call it what you want

I've had enough of the PC business too

 

[Jennasis]

This issue drives me nuts. The proper terminology changes on whim. If I were up to date:

Is my son black, African American or something else?
Is he mentally ******** or developmentally delayed?
Is he handicapped or disabled or otherly abled?
Is my daughter partially deaf or hearing impaired?
Am I short or vertically challanged?
Am I fat, obese or fluffy?

I personally find none of these terms offensive but know that some will. I just don't get the whole thing. While there are some terms that are universally considered in poor taste what makes one description okay and one not?

FWIW, we who work with the Special Olympics use the term INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED.

 

[Michelle67]

Bugs me too. I had variations of this conversation over and over with a lady (a very nice lady, I liked her a lot) that I worked with:

Me; "My dad is a really big Indian." (or some variation of talking about my dad, where his race was relevant in a literal or joking way)
Her: "You mean 'Native American.'"
Me; "No, I don't. My dad is as Indian."
Her; "The proper term is 'Native American.'"
Me; "My dad doesn't like that term. Ask him. He's an Indian."
Her; "No, dear, he's a Native American."



So apparently, neither my dad nor your son (nor you, nor your daughter, nor my sister whose kids are disabled AND Indian...) get to decide who or "what" they are. That's up to the PC police.

 

[gmboy95]

This issue drives me nuts. The proper terminology changes on whim. If I were up to date:

Is my son black, African American or something else?
Is he mentally ******** or developmentally delayed?
Is he handicapped or disabled or otherly abled?
Is my daughter partially deaf or hearing impaired?
Am I short or vertically challanged?
Am I fat, obese or fluffy?

I personally find none of these terms offensive but know that some will. I just don't get the whole thing. While there are some terms that are universally considered in poor taste what makes one description okay and one not?

You really think the term "mentally ********" is ok....really.

so i guess deaf and dumb is ok with you

Negro must be perfectly fine, as it was completely accepted for years.

why dont we just shorten it to "retard"

How about midget, does that work for you.

We are evolving as a society, and becoming more aware of our diversity. It is the reason why the terms ******, wop, mick, ****, kraut, jap etc. are no longer acceptable after being universally acceptable in this country at one time.....Why does that growth bother you so much

 

[ntsammy5]

Is my son black, African American or something else?

agree this stuff is a crock. My son's girl friend is black and she's from Columbia. She certainly isn't African American - she prefers black or chocolate!

 

[gmboy95]

agree this stuff is a crock. My son's girl friend is black and she's from Columbia. She certainly isn't African American - she prefers black or chocolate!

chocalate huh???.....OK

 

[hentob]

You really think the term "mentally ********" is ok....really.

The term is used every day in doctors' offices and at school IEP meetings

 

[tasha99]

For me, it's not so much the word as the intent behind it that matters. There is nothing wrong with the word "negro" when it's used without malice, except that it's out of fashion.

And the Native American/Indian thing is true--Indian is the preferred term unless you're so PC you don't care what anyone thinks, even the person you're describing.

I don't have a lot of use for political correctness and I think it's the refuge of those who are uncomfortable with difference. Once you're comfortable and accepting, there's no need to dance around a word by making a new one "correct" every decade or so.

 

[basas]

agree this stuff is a crock. My son's girl friend is black and she's from Columbia. She certainly isn't African American - she prefers black or chocolate!

That is the one that drives me crazy. It seems to be the media who loves the term so much (although apparently “white” is OK). What do you call white people from Africa, and the many black immigrants from South America or the Caribbean? Why the need to distinguish between “African Americans” and “regular Americans” as if they’re different? Unless someone is a new immigrant from Africa, I think it’s a stupid term.

 

[MinnieMe87]

The term is used every day in doctors' offices and at school IEP meetings

Yes it is and so is Deaf and Dumb. I saw it just today in our coding book while coding medical procedures.

Oh and Michelle67, I got in trouble at school one time for calling a Native American an Indian. Up until I was in Jr high, we used the term Indian because that's what our teachers taught us. Who knew they suddenly changed it?

 

[goofyernmost]

For me, it's not so much the word as the intent behind it that matters. There is nothing wrong with the word "negro" when it's used without malice, except that it's out of fashion.

And the Native American/Indian thing is true--Indian is the preferred term unless you're so PC you don't care what anyone thinks, even the person you're describing.

I don't have a lot of use for political correctness and I think it's the refuge of those who are uncomfortable with difference. Once you're comfortable and accepting, there's no need to dance around a word by making a new one "correct" every decade or so.

Absolutely!!! Changing the name doesn't alter the reality of existence. Before long the new term is "offensive" to someone.

What bothers me the most is that someone somewhere, sits on his or her judgmental throne and determines that being "handicapped" is a bad, embarrassing thing, so lets give it a fancy new name that they feel is less embarrassing to the individual. What a crock. They think it is a bad thing to be handicapped, but, it sounds so much better to be "challenged". It's the same damn thing with a different spelling. Make no mistake about it the change is not to protect the afflicted, it is to ease the conscience of the observer.

 

[Aristomommy]

You really think the term "mentally ********" is ok....really.

This is the term our state still uses and I must use it every day at work. It's not because I am insensitive, it's because that's what the agencies, programs etc. use. MR/DD is even on our school buses for that agency....

 

[Tinijocaro]

You really think the term "mentally ********" is ok....really.

so i guess deaf and dumb is ok with you

Negro must be perfectly fine, as it was completely accepted for years.

why dont we just shorten it to "retard"

How about midget, does that work for you.

We are evolving as a society, and becoming more aware of our diversity. It is the reason why the terms ******, wop, mick, ****, kraut, jap etc. are no longer acceptable after being universally acceptable in this country at one time.....Why does that growth bother you so much

That's just the thing though. Mentally ******** used to be socially acceptable. Then it became too commonplace and needed to be changed. Now, developmentally delayed is accepted, sometime in the near future, it will be considered crass and they will come up with a new way of saying the same old thing. I don't consider changing the name to be growth. It's all the same thing. How do you think mentally ******** is any better than developmentally delayed. Isn't a retardation and a delay the same thing?

 

[gmboy95]

The term is used every day in doctors' offices and at school IEP meetings

I do this for a living and it certainly is not, nor should it be

 

[gmboy95]

Why does any of this occupy even one second of any of your days....my god, who cares if people want to not be labled

 

[agentpleakley]

This is the term our state still uses and I must use it every day at work. It's not because I am insensitive, it's because that's what the agencies, programs etc. use. MR/DD is even on our school buses for that agency....

The term "mentally ********" is actually the term used in our state code. In legalese, this would be the correct term. -- don't know if it is politically correct or not.

 

[MinnieMe87]

I do this for a living and it certainly is not, nor should it be

Well that may be the case at your office, but at the office I work in it is used as a diagnosis code for billing insurance companies and it is worded "Mentally ********". Must work different for each doctor's office.

 

[hentob]

I do this for a living and it certainly is not, nor should it be

You do what for a living?

And it certainly is still a very commonly used phrase

 

[hentob]

Why does any of this occupy even one second of any of your days....my god, who cares if people want to not be labled

We are having a calm and educational discussion on political correctness.

Why does half of the things we talk about on The DIS occupy even one second of our time