Happens about 20mins after I wake up.
Image transcription:
Random npc spongebob fish character looking miserable holding a cup during a sunset and another overlayed image of the same guy on the left with the same look.
It is captioned with:
When you already checked your usual 5 apps and don’t know what else to do with your day:
Pro tip - “disabled” isn’t a dirty word, please use it! 👍
disabled
👏👏👏
Genuine question, because I don’t have a confidant that I can comfortably ask this to, is that the general opinion of people with disabilities?
I am not a spokesperson for all disabled people, nor are we a monolith, but yes, it is the correct term, and enough disabled people care that there have been several campaigns and there are probably thousands of articles and other pieces of media discussing why it’s important people #SayTheWord. Look that hashtag up to find this content, here are a couple of examples:
https://www.creativeconnector.art/why-its-so-important-to-saytheword/
https://crippledscholar.com/2017/11/12/euphemisms-for-disability-are-infantalizing/
You might also benefit from reading through this: https://www.drakemusic.org/blog/nim-ralph/understanding-disability/
Thanks for the links. I will read them. I’ll admit that my first reaction is to assume that speaking directly is rude, but I’m ready to do some unlearning.
You’re welcome.
I think why you think “disabled” is rude is the thing to focus on (and the answer very briefly is because you, we all, were socialised to think that way).
I’ll just drop this link in too, I think intersectionality is vital, and understanding how systems of oppression stand alone and interact with each other is vital to unlearning them, and I think this is a good starting point that goes in to several: https://www.yorku.ca/edu/unleading/systems-of-oppression/
This resource is dropping woke bombs left and right (I’m into it). Extremely rich text.
Not to glom onto this one pat definition, but it’s one of the many paragraphs that jumped out at me.
I still haven’t got to any part that is specifically challenging using “polite” language when speaking to disabled people about their disabilities. But with your question about why I might consider the term disabled a slur, and these links, I think I’m getting there…
Hmm, I thought showing respect could be better.
That’s the fucking point - there is nothing disrespectful about the word disabled, while there definitely is a lot of disrespect in using bullshit euphemisms like the one you used. The fact that you’re arguing back rather than listen and try to do better proves that you don’t care about respecting disabled people at all, but only about making yourself comfortable.
Feel free to read the links I shared with the person bellow if you actually want to start showing respect to disabled people. Either way, I’m done here.