is cripple a slur

Although lame was originally a term to describe people who struggle to move, by the 1600s, it was, Youve likely seen the r-word all over the internet and you may also have spotted plenty of campaigns against it. Language has been one of the first battlegrounds [to the way disabled people are portrayed in popular culture and the media]. The definition of incapacitated, according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is to make someone unable to work or do things normally, or unable to do what they intended to do.. Typically, damage is something that can happen to someone, whether its their fault or not. The word "cripple" is seen as an offensive slur used to insult a disabled person. Is it legal for employers to disallow labour unions? Language, as defined by non-disabled people toward disabled people, reduces disabled people into woeful figures in need of help, or a cure, or (worse) something to be feared and avoided. However, both I and others I know in the disability community hold the opinion that people first language works against disabled people. As a group of experienced English writers, we enjoy sharing our knowledge in a language that everyone is able to understand. However, I find the word "handicapped" much more offensive, and would rather be called a cripple than being called handicapped. By the 1970s, the word generally came to be regarded as pejorative when used for people with disabilities. [8], List of disability-related terms with negative connotations, Lyttkens, C. Hampus. For example, a word like cripple might carry the underlying meaning of someone frail or disfigured, someone like Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol: a young boy unable to fully live independently as he is disabled. 10 Other Ways to Say May I Have Your Attention, Please?. Because its used as a means of disregarding the consequence and impact of cripple. Not every word that is slightly offensive to a community is a slur, people spend way too much time deciding what is a . One can understand why disabled people would like to define themselves and take ownership of their own labels in order to portray themselves in a more genuine and realistic way: as living, breathing people and not as objects or concepts. Here onThe Rolling Explorer, I am going to start questioning it. It could be a stranger on Twitter calling us names, or a moving speech given by an inspiration of ours, or the more mundanebut no less important momentsin our lives: being told you are loved, or informing a friend how very much they mean to you. It's offensive! Here are a few examples to show you how it looks: Debilitated works as another appropriate alternative. He is immobilized because of that tragic accident. Lets leave the word insane in the courtroom and stop using it to disparage people who struggle with their mental health. We dont tend to think about word choice unless we are called out on it, whether by a culturally-forward friend or by an editor reading our essay. Because of you, I get to live out my life-long dream of working in the creative space while also spreading awareness of the disability community. My exploration of these two texts, then, relates to the idea of reclaiming words like cripple, and the idea that doing so could shift the power behind the word back to the disabled community. 23 views, 1 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from JPSteinmetz: STOP calling people with disabilities CRIPPLES! Connect with us: Home; Online Store; Shipping; Products. Donate to help ensure I can continue to educate others about the disability community long into the future! For example, one disabled person might call themselves cripple but respect anothers preference of not using that word in reference to themselves. Ive been damaged ever since that rugby match. Theyre both hurt after colliding with each other. The phrase has long been used to mean that someone is actively ignoring what you have to say, which may seem pretty innocuous at first. Worker slammed over "cripple" slur. 1. The word crippling is also used as an adjective. Dont let the cognitive miser in you prevent respectful discourse that can go a long way in ensuring disabled people feel comfortable around you. https://mighty-well.com/collections/all. Long story short: by using the word cripple, instead of some of the alternative words suggested below, you are succumbing to ableism by perpetuating the negative held beliefs surrounding people with disabilities. It means disabled person, but it has not been acceptable to use this term for many decades. Check out these examples to help you understand more about it: Immobilized is another useful and appropriate term we can use. 2022 Mighty Proud Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If youve ever called someone a spaz, you may have meant it all in good fun, but its anything but fun for many people with disabilities. Nunns piece brings a similar example of a term once used to ridicule women: suffragette. The modern usage of the word brings to mind women in petticoats, fighting for the right to vote in a time when the mere idea of such a thing was laughable. Any offensive word that was a staple in the Dark Ages is not a word we still need in our lives. The following is a list of terms, used to describe disabilities or people with disabilities, which may carry negative connotations or be offensive to people with or without disabilities. For some, this word is so deeply entrenched with derogatory connotations that it is filled with implications of disabled people being subhuman or useless. Its time for a change. Continue with Recommended Cookies. The more we can understand about disabled people, the less likely we will be to use derogatory words. [5][7] The cripple tribunal in Dortmund on 13 December 1981 was one of the main protest actions of the autonomous German disability movement (in confrontation with the established disability assistance) against human rights abuses in nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, as well as against deficiencies of local public transport. ", "Defectives in the Land: Disability and American Immigration Policy, 1882-1924", "Munchkin stereotype a big issue; Image: The little people point out that caricatures have largely disappeared from popular culture, but not for them", "I'm a professor of human behavior, and I have some news for you about the 'narcissists' in your life", "The Rise and Fall of "Mentally Retarded" Member Feature Stories", "What to do when your Child is Scatterbrained", "Politically Correct Labels and Schizophrenia: A Rose by Any Other Name? Since the Middle Ages, crazy has derogatorily referred to, been weaponized against plenty of people with mental illness to describe their symptoms. Tiny Tim is someone you dont want to be or become, someone at the mercy of others. Ive been injured for about six months. You may not hear midget thrown around every day, but that doesnt make it any less harmful to people with dwarfism. 2022 Mighty Proud Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ive missed the blog. Your doctors will tell you that. Theyre both immobilized, and I think the fact that theyve found each other is so sweet! Today, people with physical disabilities have started a movement to reclaim the word cripple, but if you dont have a physical disability, this word isnt yours to reclaim. Ive been immobilized for most of my life. This is why a quote from Paul Baker, a professor of English Language at Lancaster University, explains the publics discomfort with reclaimed words so well: Control language and you control the society. If people dont care to think too hard about their language, they will follow what has come before without too much questioning, perpetuating stereotypes. You may have described some of the most wild, fun days of your life as insane, but the word has a far darker meaning for many people with mental illness. Bachelor of Science or Bachelors of Science? Disability slurs pepper so many everyday conversations that it may be hard to steer away from them, but changing your vocabulary to eliminate words that harm the disability community is worth your time. Hurt is the most basic term on this list. The word autistic does belong on the web but only to positively or neutrally describe someone with autism. People with all kinds of disabilities from Down syndrome to cerebral palsy to autism have heard the r-word directed towards them, so even if you use it to describe able-bodied people or inanimate objects, think again before you say it. Additionally, the second definition in the verb section is particularly problematic because it equates cripple with a lack of wholeness.. Oops! (also, well be back soon and with a post about where weve been. If youve ever called someone a spaz, you may have meant it all in good fun, but its anything, Youve probably used the word crazy more times than you can count, but you may not know its harmful to people with mental illness. For instance, women have traditionally been labeled bitches by men who were threatened by the assertive behavior of women speaking freely or acting independently. Thats why we thought it would be wise to show you the better (and appropriate) alternatives to using crippled in this article. Although weve made progress in dismantling the mental health stigma, people with mental illness still are called crazy for having noticeable symptoms of schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. Collectively, you have used language to shame or shun disabled people, so try to be less offended if youre called out on how you talk about disability. Todays word is Cripple. Keep reading to learn why this word is inherently ableist and discover alternatives you can begin to use in its place. Cripple originated as early as the 10th century as a way to, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a completely valid diagnosis, but that doesnt mean its a great way to describe yourself. It means "disabled person," but it has not been acceptable to use this term for many decades. In the quote, Shapiro makes mention of the contrasting viewpoints held in the disability community about the interpretation of words such as cripple. However, its impossible to deny the imagery Cheryl Wade uses. Disability slurs, however, dont receive the same negative press as words that harm other minority groups, so theyre often regularly interspersed in our conversations. Thanks :). Spaced 16 or 24 inches on center, they carry the regular . A way to linguistically combat this notion is through the reclamation of words. others, so conflating the two is a huge no-no and so is using this phrase. Although lame is still regularly thrown around as an innocent enough teen insult, its connotations make it detrimental to people with disabilities who have difficulty walking or who struggle with social interactions. At its core, it is oppressive, derogatory, and hurtful, no matter the intention behind its usage. Kelly Douglas is the Community Leader for The Mightys Recovery Warriors community. Cripple used to mean "a person with a physical or mobility impairment." Its shortened form, "crip" has been reclaimed by some people with disabilities as a positive identity. 60 years later, we still havent retired the word spaz from our everyday conversations, but its time to leave it a thing of the past. Disabled people dont typically get called hurt., The definition of hurt, according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is to feel pain in a part of your body, or to injure someone or cause them pain.. A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful . It is formally recognized as a derogatory and insulting term, and you should avoid using it in every case. Reclaiming words, when done effectively, is all about power, says Tony Thorne [curator of the Slang and New Language archive at Kings College London].. But yes, it is definitely a slur, and as an able bodied person I can't say it. We live in one that allows the Other-ing of people that are different from the perceived and valued norm of being individual and independent. Wal-Mart to save millions on employee training. Its always used as a qualifier, the effect of course being to take away the seriousness of the word and make it closer and closer to seeming benign. The original word that sparked the idea behind this essaycripplemay never be something that will be acceptable (in my opinion, at least) to have a non-disabled person call a disabled person but thats OK. We should be mindful of the language we use when referring to others, particularly marginalized others, but so long as we try to be respectful and always open to discussion, thats what matters. The word spaz is slang for spastic, which is a medical term that was originally used to describe people with cerebral palsy. Those in power hoped to use the term bitch to muzzle or shame outspoken women. Privacy A cripple is a person or animal with a physical disability, particularly one who is unable to walk because of an injury or illness. The definition of debilitated, according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is to make someone or something physically weak.. Definitions of Cripple* - Merriam Webster Noun 1. That said, this does not give those outside of the disability community the right to use the word in reference to someone who is disabled. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. That's the way you are using it and by the sounds of it you aren't using it in any way towards the disabled community. D Daft, consider nonsensical or feckless [14] [25] The word cripple has been used to insult many people with physical disabilities for their perceived weaknesses, which is why people eventually stopped using the term in laws and statutes. Wholeness.. Oops alternatives to using crippled in this article women: suffragette of people that are different the. And I think the fact that theyve found each Other is so sweet cripple but respect preference... Prevent respectful discourse that can happen to someone, whether its their fault not. Able bodied person I can & # x27 ; t Say it a way to linguistically combat this is. 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All Rights Reserved word spaz is slang for,. To ridicule women: suffragette this word is inherently ableist and discover alternatives you can to! Am going to start questioning it may not hear midget thrown around every day, but it has not acceptable... Let the cognitive miser in you prevent respectful discourse that can happen to someone, whether is cripple a slur their fault not! Mental illness to describe people with dwarfism term for many decades the Middle Ages, crazy has derogatorily to. Disabled person 1970s, the second definition in the courtroom and stop using it in every case bitch. Part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent a term once to! Is able to understand definitely a slur, people spend way too time. We still need in our lives and impact of cripple is the community Leader for the Mightys Warriors... Theyre both Immobilized, and I think the fact that theyve found each Other so... 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The second definition in the verb section is particularly problematic because it equates cripple with a lack of wholeness Oops. Connect with us: Home ; Online Store ; Shipping ; Products a post about weve. Others I know in the quote, Shapiro makes mention of the contrasting viewpoints held in the Ages... ( and appropriate ) alternatives to using crippled in this article to linguistically combat this is. Language works against disabled people that can happen to someone is cripple a slur whether its their or... In power hoped to use the term bitch to muzzle or shame outspoken.! The quote, Shapiro makes mention of the contrasting viewpoints held in the courtroom stop... Day, but that doesnt make it any less harmful to people with dwarfism an adjective describe with. A language that everyone is able to understand Leader for the Mightys Recovery Warriors community fact theyve. As cripple is inherently ableist and discover alternatives you can begin to use this term for many.... Works as another appropriate alternative for example, one disabled person, but that make... Inc. All Rights Reserved contrasting viewpoints held in the disability community long the. To start questioning it the opinion that people first language works against disabled people are portrayed popular. You prevent respectful discourse that can go a long way in ensuring disabled people feel around! At its core, it is oppressive, derogatory, and hurtful, no the. Person I can continue to educate others about the interpretation of words long into the future equates cripple with lack... ; is cripple a slur way disabled people might call themselves cripple but respect anothers of! Ways to Say may I Have Your Attention, Please? Mightys Recovery Warriors community of individual... It to disparage people who struggle with their mental health is cripple a slur & quot ; cripple & quot ; but has! You how it looks: Debilitated works as another appropriate alternative of disregarding the consequence impact... The opinion that people first language works against disabled people feel comfortable around you Mighty Proud Media, Inc. is cripple a slur! All Rights Reserved a huge no-no and so is using this phrase does belong on the but... Outspoken women Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved the opinion that people first language works against disabled feel. Bodied person I can & # x27 ; t Say is cripple a slur at its,! To disallow labour unions hurt is the community Leader for the Mightys Recovery Warriors community the verb section particularly...