Why lame is an offensive word

In the s, members of the Peoples Temple led by Jim Jones committed mass suicide by drinking a soft-drink laced with cyanide and various prescription drugs. Thus, today people use the phrase " to drink the Kool-Aid " to refer to someone with unwavering and unconditional loyalty.

Records show that the phrase " long time no see " was first uttered by a Native American. In print, William F. Drannan used the phrase in one of his novels to describe an encounter with a Native American: "I knew he had recognized me.

When we rode up to him he said: 'Good morning. Long time no see you,' and at the same time presented the gun with breech foremost. Unfortunately, this phrase doesn't stem from some strange story about a man whose tongue was literally pawed by a cat. Rather, The English Navy used to use a whip called the "Cat-o'-nine-tails" to flog victims, and the pain was so intense that those on the receiving end of the blows couldn't speak.

Hence, the meaning of the phrase today. Back in the days when almost all medical problems were treated with lobotomies and illicit drugs, doctors used " hysteria " as a medical explanation for nearly every sick woman they encountered. The idea for such a diagnosis comes from Hippocrates' belief that a woman's hysteria is caused by a "wandering uterus" that is deprived of sexual pleasure.

When you reach the tipping point in a situation, you have reached the point at which "a change or an effect cannot be stopped. Historically, white people would describe black men as "boys" to indicate that they were not on equal playing fields. The U. Supreme Court even declared that the word is "not benign" and considers its use in certain contexts to be racist. Today, when a person goes " off the reservation ," they've lost control.

But its origins are even more sinister. As Native Americans were once restricted to reservations created for them by the government, people would historically use this phrase to refer to Native Americans who had strayed from their land, often with contempt for the indigenous people.

Once upon a time, the word " spinster " didn't refer to an unmarried woman, but a person who spun yard or thread for a living.

Eventually the term took on its current meaning, as most of the women who were spinsters were also lower-class and unwed, relying on their job to provide for themselves. All Rights Reserved. Introduction To The Ableist Language Series : Ableist language perpetuates the inferiority of people with disabilities. Sign-up below to get your copy today!

First Name John. Last Name Smith. Your email johnsmith example. Support My Work. View this post on Instagram. PayPal Donation. Facebook Tweet Pin LinkedIn. You might also enjoy: updated on June 6, March 24, Read. Close this module. But it would be nice to have a sense that I was taken seriously when I explain my position.

This is not always the case, unfortunately. The word lame was originaly used to describe someone with a physical impairment, particularly in the foot or leg. That is still a valid definition of the word. It is in fact a definition that literally applies to me — I use a wheelchair. I readily admit to being non-PC and irreverant myself.