Using ableist language as insults is always bad, even if the words seem innocuous. Some may reference the “euphemism treadmill” to try to justify their behavior, but it’s crucial to understand that the treadmill is merely a linguistic observation. It does not exist to normalize ableist behavior.
what is the euphemism treadmill for those who dont want to google
If one of the words needs an asterisk instead of a letter, I don’t think all of them are equal…
The euphemism treadmill rather implies we simply load all the meaning and intention on a new word when the old one becomes unacceptable.
But that clearly isn’t the case with this series of words. Many of these words have clearly different meanings and different social stigmas, and some are in use at the same time.
I have an older family member who is severely mentally disabled and always has been. His medical records diagnosed him as r*tarded. The adults diagnosing him at the time didn’t understand enough about mental conditions and their differences when he was a child. So kids like him were diagnosed with that. It did have more ‘legitimate’ uses than it does in our current context. Doesn’t make it good or right, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have tried to be more specific either. That legacy leads to now where we have the nuance and resources to do better. I am glad it’s more and more relagated to the past as it’s consistently been used to dehumanize people.
I mean I’d say the asterisk is overdoing it, and that this is mostly because retard isn’t used as a medical diagnosis anymore. If it does ever really die expect special needs or another such word to take its place.
Oftentimes people ask me why I bother using the asterisk at all. And the answer isn’t to pay respect to those who have been othered for their entire lives by this language, or to minimize the chance of a ban from heavyhanded mods. It’s actually to make you upset, specifically.
Interesting. Feels like there’s a bit of a paradox, where we need a term to address a group of people who are being “othered,” but while that’s the case, there will be people who use that term as an insult.
the better strategy might be to investigate and challenge what forces cause people to use ableist insults
True. Or just discard their attempts to taint the language. Like how some slurs have been reclaimed.
“You’re not normal! You CAN’T be normal, because then I’ll no longer be THE normal! SHUT UP, THIS IS THE CONDITIONER FOR THE THREAD BY WHICH MY SANITY IS HANGING!”
Neurodivergent isn’t an insult…
correct, it’s not (or shouldn’t be), but it’s being used as one, especially recently!
precontext: i said i could see both sides of some non-important debate. something about whether a community mod should be heavy or light with bans, and i was like, “well it depends on what the motivations and needs are.”
their response to that?
in this post i hope to call attention to the same destructive processes happening to “neurodiverse” as to all the other terms. particularly i want to call out the ableist motivations behind it.
It’s an insult because of intent, not because of the word itself, though.
You can use gay, homosexual, homo habilis as insults
That doesnt make these words bad
Yeah and I could call you a wet blanket for not realizing words can be used however the fuck you want.
“Cisgender” isn’t an insult either, but that doesn’t stop Elon Musk and his flunkies from treating it as such.
Bingo. I assumed more people understood this, so I apologize for not communicating clearly. Any word can become an insult—with the right people in control. What’s particularly hurtful is seeing words that marginalized or oppressed groups use to describe their own experiences being co-opted and turned into insults, reinforcing their otherness.
It happened with “retard,” as with “idiot,” and so many others. Recently, I’ve seen it happen with more niche phrases (look up “is X acoustic” if you’re unfamiliar). Just the other day, I made a comment that I could see two perspectives on a matter. Instead of simply calling me wrong, someone said, “You must be neurodivergent, you’re so gullible.” In that context, “neurodivergent” was clearly being used as a stand-in for the r-slur.
To be clear, I am not against any language. I’m against the weaponizing of language.
Tone policing won’t fix that some people predictably make fucking terrible decisions, for no sensible reason, and we need to deal with that and warn others about it.
Which is why the real solution is for every forum to fuck off with enforced civility and let people call each other assholes. Some of them will deserve it. Moderation exists primarily to make that call. You’re not just a filter for no-no words. You’re a human being and you’re expected to have an opinion.
