coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Quite. Some friends of mine have a little girl with cerebral palsy. I can only imagine their rage and heartbreak if someone used that word in front of them or their daughter.
Early fireworks - why?
- Thread starter robjh
- Start date
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Yes Jo, and my wife has spent a career working in the field of CP
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Why would you associate this word with a young lady with cerebral palsy, your association, not mine.
Maybe it's because spaz is used as a derogatory term which implies a spastic person is somehow inferior?
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Actually, Scope used to be called The Spastic Society but changed their name and stopped using the word after it became negatively and cruelly associated with the way you used it in your post. The word "spazzers" is a horrible insult to the people who have this condition and should be consigned to the history books with other such abusive, insensitive and derogatory terms.
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Not my intention, apologies if I offended.
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
"the way I used it in my post" not my intention to insult anybody, can you make me feel any worse than I already do? FFS, my nephew has downs, I did not mean any insult or harm to anyone at all
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
I don't believe you did. It's a good reminder to us all to think about the language we use and the impact it has on others, especially online."the way I used it in my post" not my intention to insult anybody, can you make me feel any worse than I already do? FFS, my nephew has downs, I did not mean any insult or harm to anyone at all
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Thanks, won't be posting again on cycle chat, feel really bad
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Nah, no point hiding. You said something, you apologised... if the apology is genuine (as I think it is) then hold your head up and move on. It's the ones who insult with the intent to cause hurt and pain that should hide in shame.Thanks, won't be posting again on cycle chat, feel really bad
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
The apology is genuine' I have read far worse on cycle chat with no chastation, just feel bad.
Fair enough Mrs M, I don't like the word because I know what my. S.I.L. with cerebral palsy has had to put up with over the years."the way I used it in my post" not my intention to insult anybody, can you make me feel any worse than I already do? FFS, my nephew has downs, I did not mean any insult or harm to anyone at all
Not long ago she had a medical report done for work in which the doctor described her as slightly spastic. Some people took offence at it, and I had to point out that he was using it as a proper medical term, that shows some people's perception of the word. Even the Spastics Society have changed their name.
I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, if you stick around you'll see lots of arguments, most tend to blow over in a few days.
I put out someones hat in Germany which had been lit by a stray firework. I did this by beating it with my umbrella. He was still wearing it at the time and thanked me for my efforts.
