Last post Fri, May 02 2008 8:02 PM by Liesl. 26 replies.
I’m going with Tridog on the Gimpy it fits me others may debate the correct term others know history of words. To be frank I am called many things some good some not so good. But I have never been one to have someone tell me how I must define myself and what correct words to use. I’m far to busy well being human.
I also do not think of people aka fully functional people as being ignorant to the fact I have less then top form after all they are called by children and wife oh and friends. As for strangers do I get stared at well yes is it important to me nope. Then there are the kids and well my son sees just kids including the gimpy one in his school and know what she is just like all of the. So I would much rather present myself as a human because everyone has a challenge(s) in life.
Nightengale: I found your response both very informative and interesting. Thank you. Bonnie
DSB: I was attempting to discuss the use of the terms as they effect our civil rights and "fund raising" in society, not so much as to how they personally effect us, or how people individually see us As I said, I don't really have a big problem with Gimpy in my own little circle--I have a sense of humor. Thank you, however, for giving the matter some thought. .
Well then since it was directed towards me you have a really big like problem. I am older hence I got well like money nope it does not solve stuff but given to the right peolple change can happen. I do not think I will give to you rgroup and well choose to support disaboom as I can and people having open minds. I will repeat I am not a name I am a person when you get that your on your way.
I worked in dog racing and people who make their living gambling consider themselves to be "professional handicappers", as in "it's hard to handicap this race.' I could be a handicapped handicapper?
As for "cap in hand" referring to begging, I don't have a problem with that. Buddhists consider begging an honorable vocation. The poor will always be with you.
When did PITY and CHARITY become dirty words? Pity is compassion, commiseration, sympathy. We could do with more of that in this hard hearted world. "Faith, Hope and Charity, the greatest of these is Charity." (God bless SS)
I do not like INVALID..but crip or gimp works for me. : )
bonniethesurvivor:Lawrence: I think your very literate post is quite funny, but I don't know where you got the definition, or how it applies to the issue I am raising regarding the presentation of this "community" regarding legal and financial issues for the general public (ref: the ADA revisions). As (I see from your Profile) an artist, advocate and commentator, I would think the difference between using Gimp among ourselves and for public awareness raising through the arts, vs. legal presentation, would make sense.
Thank you! Very kind. True, I do not know that using the word "gimp" in a legal sense would be at all helpful. I consciously use it however, because when people wince (and they almost always do), it gives me an opportunity to explain the various definitions.
Words are funny, socially constructed, often evolutionarily wicked, confusing things. Such fun to play with.
Allow me to put on my word freak hat for just a moment:
Many people prefer innocuous phrases like "physically challenged" or worse yet, "differently-abled" which just kind of hang there without any real weight or evocation. To some that is considered a plus. To me, such words say nothing about my experience so I avoid them. By playing it safe they've ceased to mean anything of consequence to anyone. A sad fate for a word or phrase.
"Handicapped" bothers me personally because as others have noted implicit in its origin is a larger than average sense of burden. Contrary to popular belief, having cerebral palsy is no more a burden to me than being a man, buddhist or vegetarian is. Sometimes troublesome, mostly not. I resent the inference because, well, linguistically speaking it isn't true. In other words, don't "burden" me with words which reinforce incorrect assumptions.
Now, on to disability... at its root "dis" as a prefix means “not, not any.” Assuming (I know, bad idea... but I'll risk it) I don't need to define ability, then it would be reasonable to conclude that disability literally means “a lack of ability.” Not so wild about that one either but 'tis true, however you slice or spin it I do not run so well. At its core, use of the word "disabled" -- whether you like it or not -- is usually more accurate than using "handicapped."
A bit more background: Dis- came into English from the Old French prefix des-, which in turn came from the Latin prefix dis-, which came from the adverb dis-, meaning “apart, asunder.” It is a common prefix that occurs very frequently in English in words such as discredit, disrepair, and disrespect.
Apart from ability? Hmmm. Does that imply a total lack of ability or or simply in part?
The debate continues...
All best, Lawrence
Even though i am in a Wheelchair i dont think of myself as being handicapped
I'm crutches and PT wheelchair...I can still do most things...don't feel disabled by any means
Joe
What an interesting conversation.
I am eligible for VocRehab based on my "disability". Quite frankly if we could get rid of pollens (Quite impossible), people would stop wearing fragrances (good luck), and everyone would stop using caustic chemicals (What, use natural cleaners???) I would be fine.
To look at me I don't fit the "disabled" mold. The only hint that I have a problem is the crease on my nose and the dark circles under my eyes (allergy shiners).
But you expose me to the right allergens, fragrances, or chemicals and I go down like rock! Do I consider myself "disabled"? Not really. Do I have a major medical problem that can be debilitating? Yes!
So how do you difine someone with a medical challenge? Some of us don't wear our "disability" on the outside for all to see. This is at times, the most difficult type of disability. You look fine. You act fine. Until.....
Well just putting in my two cents.
Hope everyone is happy and well.
AnnNE
I've given up on "political correctitude", because you can't make all of the people happy all of the time no matter what term you use for being crippled by something -- an illness, an accident, a genetic deformity or disfigurement.
Crippled by a crippling disease does not make one TOTALLY disabled, like disabling software or a vehicle, for gawdsakes. Polio may have crippled me somewhat, but it did not disable me from living pretty much like normies. Of course, I worked hard to get rehabbed as much as possible so that I was walking and hiking and dancing and doing most things any "normie" would do. It didn't cripple my love-making, my intellect, my faith, my hope, my outrageousness, my academic performance, my ability to have a career -- only parts or aspects of my body.
I may be crippled but I am not a cripple, though I'm okay with the word "crip" as a feisty rad term.
I may have a disability but I am not a "disabled", and I prefer the expression "person with disability", inasmuch as I am a person first and have a disability secondly.
There ARE some words used by (I'm sure, well-meaning) disability rights advocates/activists which I hate -- I am not more "challenged" in life than anyone else, so that's a dumb term -- to me, anyway.
"Differently able" is an even stupider euphemism, in my personal opinion. We're ALL "differently" able. So what's the point in calling crips that? It's not saying anything new or distinctive about crips, is it?
"Gimp" is another rad word, but I kinda hate it because it seems to connote "whimp" and "limp" into it, which would be demeaning.
So, it seems we'll never have a universally "official" term for ourselves, because concensus will NEVER be reached when we all have our various hang-ups about the various terms.
Justin.
Daisies:This constant hassle over words is weird. As I said before: it only serves to put every AB ill at ease when dealing with us. Everybody keeps wondering why nobody talks to a handicap when there is an AB to talk to. Folks are just plain scared stiff to drop a brick, and that in front of an audience. This hassle doesn't help a bit.
This constant hassle over words is weird.
As I said before: it only serves to put every AB ill at ease when dealing with us.
Everybody keeps wondering why nobody talks to a handicap when there is an AB to talk to. Folks are just plain scared stiff to drop a brick, and that in front of an audience.
This hassle doesn't help a bit.
I totally agree, Daisies. This particular language debate misses the point of it all, imo.
"People who think rape is about sex confuse the weapon with the motivation."Alice Vachss
