Language as a tool of discrimination does not have to operate as a
form of direct violence as such. Even the use of 'Nigger' was
symptomatic of the social context. The term 'Nigger' for example, is
used among the Black community, in a re-signified sense as a matter of
reclaiming agency of setting language rules. Language is often a
reflection of power structures in the society. With more persons with
disabilities able to find opportunities within the power structure, a
lot of things 'normalized' can and should get questioned, as the
etymological roots of many of these so called normal idioms are based
on perceived incapabilities and resultant lack of worth associated
with disabilities.
Malice is not necessarily the issue here. The issue is that of
perceived inferiority and incapabilities attributed to certain
sections that then get manifested and passed on through language.
On Tue, Jul 29, 2025 at 10:16 PM Vaibhav Bhandari
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hi,
It is historically inaccurate to equate racial slurs with
idioms/phrases which some call ableist. Additionally, it also
disregards the massive impact in real world impact.
For instance, the word 'Nigger' was used to dehumanise,
subordinate and oppress the Blacks in America. It's historical
baggage is rooted in direct violence and institutional racism. In
contrast, idioms did not emerge out of malice, but from
figurative language traditions and are used to describe abstract
conditions, not people. There is no historical linkage between
their use and systemic discrimination.
On Tue, Jul 29, 2025 at 9:03 PM Mahesh S. Panicker
<[email protected]> wrote:
Language is innately political, and can often be a reflection
of social attitudes. emancipatory movements across the
world including the disability rights movement, have therefore
used language as a significant front in the struggle for
emancipation and recognition. And efforts of such movements
have brought about change as well. The word 'negro/nigger' was
so frequently used in the US well into the 20th century,
whether that is in everyday conversations, or literature and
other manifestations of the so called high culture. However,
with the emergence of the civil rights movement and the
success it had, the public legitimacy those expressions had
have disappeared.
Languages do not emerge in vacuum. They are informed and
shaped by a context, and in turn shape contexts. That is why
it is important to challenge ablism in language use...
Of course in the necessary need for prioritizing concerns,
this may not exactly be the first issue on the agenda.
However, it still is a very important front in my view.
On Tue, Jul 29, 2025 at 7:47 PM Mujtaba Merchant
<[email protected]> wrote:
This discussion has been truly enlightening, and I'd like
to express my gratitude for the thoughtful insights
shared. The emphasis on considering the nuances of
language in a balanced and evidence-based manner has
inspired me to write a post on my website
<https://www.mister-kayne.com/>, which I'll be sharing
with this group shortly.
In the meantime, you're welcome to visit my website
<https://www.mister-kayne.com/>, leave your comments,
subscribe, and share the posts if you find them
thought-provoking. If you'd like to support the site and
its authors, please explore the options available on the
LOVE
<https://www.mister-kayne.com/2025/02/show-your-love-for-somebody-nobody.html>
page. Your engagement and support are greatly appreciated!
*From:*[email protected]
<[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Vaibhav
Bhandari
*Sent:* 29 July 2025 07:10 PM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* Re: [AI] My post on Ableist language and how to
remove it from every day writing
Hi,
While I understand the intent behind your analogy of
cancer cells, I believe it is logically flawed. Cancer
cells are a biological pathology with objectively
measurable harm, whereas idioms are contextual tools of
language whose meaning and impact depend on intent,
context, and reception. Thus, equating the two is a false
equivalence.
It is also important to distinguish between intentional,
systemic discrimination and figurative expressions that
have no demonstrable link to real-world harm. To date,
there is no empirical evidence showing that phrases like
“blind faith” or “crippled economy” cause measurable harm
or reinforce discrimination against people with
disabilities. Without such evidence, asserting
subconscious bias becomes a speculative leap.
Furthermore, taking offense is a subjective experience.
The fact that there is division within the disability
community itself regarding this issue further lends
credence to the argument that offense taken cannot be the
sole metric of acceptability—if it were, virtually any
word or expression could be banned based on personal
interpretation. That would lead not to inclusion, but to
linguistic paralysis.
On Mon, Jul 28, 2025 at 7:46 PM
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hello:
You are most welcome to challenge and question the
perspective. The very purpose of writing topics like
this is to have a healthy discussion and debate.
My only argument in support is this: just because
something isn’t as direct and as dangerous as
discriminatory behaviour doesn’t make it agreeable. In
fact, to give you an analogy, cancer cells are
proteins and they grow painlessly, but that doesn’t
make them healthy. If a bias exists subconsciously,
right under the veneer of normal expressions and
idioms, it can’t be regarded acceptable.
I encourage you to read the post because I’ve also
argued in the post that using such cliches are also
bad and lazy writing.
So, while I respectfully acknowledge your objections,
I stand by what I’ve said.
*From:*[email protected]
<[email protected]> *On Behalf Of
*Vaibhav Bhandari
*Sent:* 27 July 2025 6:06 PM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* Re: [AI] My post on Ableist language and
how to remove it from every day writing
Hi,
I must respectfully express my disagreement with this
perspective. It closely resembles a post that appeared
some time ago on the Be My Eyes blog, which was met
with significant criticism from within the disabled
community. That post, much like this argument,
attempted to reframe ordinary, long-established
expressions as inherently offensive or exclusionary.
From my observation, this approach ultimately leads to
excessive language policing. Once such a precedent is
set, it is not long before even neutral expressions
like “stand up for yourself” are labeled ableist.
As someone who is blind, I take no issue with commonly
used phrases such as “blinded by love,” “blindly
following,” or “blind spot.” These idioms are part of
everyday language and are clearly not intended to
demean or marginalize anyone. Their function is
metaphorical, not literal, and they serve to convey
abstract ideas effectively.
In my view, this kind of hyper-sensitivity detracts
from the core issues facing the disabled community.
The focus must remain on addressing tangible systemic
challenges rather than attempting to sanitize language
to the point of absurdity.
On Sat, Jul 26, 2025 at 8:55 AM
<[email protected]> wrote:
*Dear all: *
**
*I recently wrote about ableism and how to weed
ableist language out of our writing. Let me know
your thoughts. Also, if you find ableist language,
don’t hesitate to point it out to the person
concerned and ask them to correct. *
**
*--- --- --- *
**
*What if the harm was not in the action, but in
the phrasing?*
A quiet shift in words can redraw the borders of
inclusion.
https://open.substack.com/pub/aatri/p/unbiased-writing-fix-this-mistake?r=83eqk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
<https://open.substack.com/pub/aatri/p/unbiased-writing-fix-this-mistake?r=83eqk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true>
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