Say The Word
Euphemisms are insults.
I recently read a study from England that said disabled people are still being marginalized by negative public attitudes – with a quarter (26%) of Brits admitting that they have avoided conversations with disabled people.
The reasons they gave were: feelings of nothing in common (48%), fear of causing offense (30%), feeling uncomfortable (20%) and not knowing what to talk about (17%).
My first thought was SERIOUSLY?? In the 21st century, when amputees make the finals on Dancing with the Stars, blind skiers race down alpine courses, wheelchair users are doctors and teachers, people are so unsophisticated and precious that they don't know what to say to someone only because they are disabled?
If it were 1940 I could understand it, but today, in 2017 30% were afraid of causing offense, which I assume to mean with words, and since I live in this community and this affects us all, I wanted to find out WHY they were concerned about what to say, so I did what any reasonable person would do.
I googled “politically correct terms for cripples” and “acceptable names to call handicaps” looking for clarification.
The reasons they gave were: feelings of nothing in common (48%), fear of causing offense (30%), feeling uncomfortable (20%) and not knowing what to talk about (17%).
My first thought was SERIOUSLY?? In the 21st century, when amputees make the finals on Dancing with the Stars, blind skiers race down alpine courses, wheelchair users are doctors and teachers, people are so unsophisticated and precious that they don't know what to say to someone only because they are disabled?
If it were 1940 I could understand it, but today, in 2017 30% were afraid of causing offense, which I assume to mean with words, and since I live in this community and this affects us all, I wanted to find out WHY they were concerned about what to say, so I did what any reasonable person would do.
I googled “politically correct terms for cripples” and “acceptable names to call handicaps” looking for clarification.
