tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post2545420520506020310..comments2023-06-27T23:48:18.072+10:00Comments on life actually: A couple of days ago...Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16213944904796774622noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post-81176885382051780232012-04-18T21:09:45.958+10:002012-04-18T21:09:45.958+10:00Deb, I get it. I said thanks to her for acknowledg...Deb, I get it. I said thanks to her for acknowledging the comments but like you, I'm not sure it registered that perhaps not using the word at all in future might be a more helpful way to go? Hopefully she might remember in future and not use it, but it didn't sound as though she was that worried about it.<br />Your link to that article on the word "retard" was really interesting. I'm surprised people with cerebral palsy in the States don't do something similar, to be honest.<br />I don't think I'll have time to post a comment again on femina before we go away and by the time I get back I guess the blog will have moved on to the next day's topic (as they do!). If you do, I do understand where you're coming from.<br />Of course, now that I've stuck my head up over there, then people might come back to my blog and notice that I perhaps used some less than complimentary words about femina too (I tried to choose my words there carefully, but it is my honest opinion!). And in many ways it is a helpful blog for Mums to read. But this has definitely turned me off a bit from it, unfortunately.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213944904796774622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post-29594126236293208762012-04-18T13:44:34.090+10:002012-04-18T13:44:34.090+10:00It's finally been changed. I think your comme...It's finally been changed. I think your comment might have finally tipped the scales! I'm not sure whether to make another comment though as to why it was so offensive to us. It's not like the examples she gave of "tinkle" and "knock up" which are words that have two different meanings. Surely her use of the word "spastic" is offensive to us in the same way "retard" is offensive. If they can recognise that "retard" is offensive - see this article http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29981699/ns/us_news-life/t/special-olympics-fights-use-word-retard/ which is American - surely they can see "spastic" falls in the same catergory?<br /><br />I guess I'm especially hurt because I really respect the author of that blog post and I was very much thrown that she couldn't see the offensive it would cause. I understand the different cultures thing.... but still....Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17323321295593693009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post-51069666842100679142012-04-17T18:55:41.342+10:002012-04-17T18:55:41.342+10:00I just commented. Thanks for the gentle nudge, Tas...I just commented. Thanks for the gentle nudge, Tasmanian! I'd been checking in every so often to see if she'd returned to look at any of the comments but it doesn't look like she has...I hope it will be noticed at some point!Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213944904796774622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post-62964688938330672582012-04-17T18:31:32.347+10:002012-04-17T18:31:32.347+10:00I think it is worth you commenting, because it is ...I think it is worth you commenting, because it is not offensive in the US but it is here, and I think she will change it in her post if she realises this.Tasmaniannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post-16233976501307609362012-04-13T17:48:48.976+10:002012-04-13T17:48:48.976+10:00Excuse the typos in the above.Excuse the typos in the above.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17323321295593693009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post-30165236381999795072012-04-13T17:47:17.113+10:002012-04-13T17:47:17.113+10:00Yes, it was me. I did some research before I comm...Yes, it was me. I did some research before I commented just to check. And in the US it's really not considered offensive. It was used in an episode of Friends at one stage and that caused some uproar especially in the UK for the same reason we would find it offensive. I can't see how it would NOT be offensive but that's may just be my cultural bias. I hope though that by politely saying something it might provoke other readers to think more about their use of language.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17323321295593693009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7880850607374339142.post-77398422451907443592012-04-13T10:10:21.223+10:002012-04-13T10:10:21.223+10:00I also cringed at the use of the word, but didn...I also cringed at the use of the word, but didn't mention it. It was my first time reading (someone had linked to that particular post), so thought I'd keep quiet.<br /><br />Glad some others spoke up!Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18127656286765717366noreply@blogger.com