Letters to the Editor
Language in The News-Letter: Set an example!
In today's society, political correctness is paramount. Why, then, are we not mindful of correctness when discussing people with disabilities? Derogatory terms for people with disabilities are engrained in our speech.
In any conversation among college students, it is not unusual to hear "retarded," "gimp," or "midget." People use these words, fully aware of their negative connotations. However, many are ignorant of the connotations of the widely used word, "handicapped."
In parking lots, signs indicate "handicapped parking." Office Buildings have their "handicapped entrance". Many restrooms offer "handicapped stalls." But we used this label without realizing that the term "handicapped" is a negative term for a person with a disability.
Dictionary.com defines "handicap" as "any disadvantage that makes success more difficult." Obviously, this definition has many negative connotations. By using the word "handicapped" to describe people with a disability, we imply that they have something wrong with them; the population of people with disabilities disagrees with this assessment. They see their disabilities as attributes or personal traits, not as something negative that needs to be eliminated. There is an urban legend that the term "handicapped" stems from the action of begging with one's cap in their hand. This connotation remains, stigmatizing people with disabilities as poor, useless members of society.
Students of the "Disability in Society" Freshman Seminar here at Hopkins would like to encourage The News-Letter to set an example for its readers, by not referring to people with disabilities as "handicapped people."
- Katie Malzbender, Freshman
The News-Letter should not use inappropriate language
In the history of the United States, various descriptive terms have been established which are no longer acceptable. As the times change, people learn that what once might have been a normal expression, cannot be used anymore because it has developed a negative connotation. These expressions may be racially or sexually offensive; in addition, the terms referring to people with disabilities may be offensive.
In your article about our class's examination of various buildings for their accessibility for people with disabilities, you mentioned the word "handicapped" various times. I would like to inform you that this word is no longer acceptable in modern speech. The word "handicapped" is not a proper term to describe someone's condition if he or she mentally or physically disabled.
Many disability rights advocates despise the term "handicap" because of its old-fashioned attitudes towards impairments. It is now considered offensive because it has a negative connotation. To describe "a handicapped entrance," now it is acceptable to say "the entrance for people with disabilities."
The handicapped term connotes that the person is disadvantaged and is not able to function at the same level as other non-disabled people. It specifically classifies them, doubts their accomplishments, and limits their capabilities.
By using this negative term, we are setting up the basis for further discrimination. We must eliminate the usage of this word because it offends those with disabilities by limiting their potential to live a "normal" life.
- Erika Sanchez, Freshman
Issue on the article on Disability and Society seminar's presentation
This is a letter to address a general concern of numerous Johns Hopkins faculties and students. I am a student in the Disability & Society seminar, and I stumbled upon an issue that has distressed many last week.
Firstly, our group's presentation on Ames Hall mentioned the word "handicapped." Also, the article on our class's presentations contained the word "handicapped" several times.
Although "handicapped" has been (wrongfully) coined for centuries, words like "handicap" or "handicapped" are erroneous and even belittling in referring to the people with disability.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word "handicap" as "a disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult." Here, disability is described as a drawback and a substandard characteristic.
However, disability should not be seen as a "disadvantage" but as a certain type of cultural diversity. The human population has lived with numerous physical and mental disabilities, and as the 21st century dawned, the public seized to see disability as curses and punishments but as another type of phenotype.
Therefore, the politically correct way of referring to the population with disability is "people with disability." As our presentation group and the press utilized the wrong words to refer to the population with disability, countless number of people was strongly offended.
I acknowledge the fact that our group has made a fatal mistake in using the word "handicapped" and desire to inform the press and the JHU community of the politically correct method of calling those who "have disabilities."
- Moses Song, Freshman
Editor's Note: In the article "Disability study examines campus access," the word "handicapped" was used twice. Though this word was used by some students during their presentation on disability access, The News-Letter should have been more diligent in making sure the language met our style guidelines. The Associated Press Stylebook states that the word "handicap . . . should be avoided in describing a disability." However, the Stylebook also states that the terms "disabled or handicapped" should not be used "unless it is clearly pertinent to a story."
In today's society, political correctness is paramount. Why, then, are we not mindful of correctness when discussing people with disabilities? Derogatory terms for people with disabilities are engrained in our speech.
In any conversation among college students, it is not unusual to hear "retarded," "gimp," or "midget." People use these words, fully aware of their negative connotations. However, many are ignorant of the connotations of the widely used word, "handicapped."
In parking lots, signs indicate "handicapped parking." Office Buildings have their "handicapped entrance". Many restrooms offer "handicapped stalls." But we used this label without realizing that the term "handicapped" is a negative term for a person with a disability.
Dictionary.com defines "handicap" as "any disadvantage that makes success more difficult." Obviously, this definition has many negative connotations. By using the word "handicapped" to describe people with a disability, we imply that they have something wrong with them; the population of people with disabilities disagrees with this assessment. They see their disabilities as attributes or personal traits, not as something negative that needs to be eliminated. There is an urban legend that the term "handicapped" stems from the action of begging with one's cap in their hand. This connotation remains, stigmatizing people with disabilities as poor, useless members of society.
Students of the "Disability in Society" Freshman Seminar here at Hopkins would like to encourage The News-Letter to set an example for its readers, by not referring to people with disabilities as "handicapped people."
- Katie Malzbender, Freshman
The News-Letter should not use inappropriate language
In the history of the United States, various descriptive terms have been established which are no longer acceptable. As the times change, people learn that what once might have been a normal expression, cannot be used anymore because it has developed a negative connotation. These expressions may be racially or sexually offensive; in addition, the terms referring to people with disabilities may be offensive.
In your article about our class's examination of various buildings for their accessibility for people with disabilities, you mentioned the word "handicapped" various times. I would like to inform you that this word is no longer acceptable in modern speech. The word "handicapped" is not a proper term to describe someone's condition if he or she mentally or physically disabled.
Many disability rights advocates despise the term "handicap" because of its old-fashioned attitudes towards impairments. It is now considered offensive because it has a negative connotation. To describe "a handicapped entrance," now it is acceptable to say "the entrance for people with disabilities."
The handicapped term connotes that the person is disadvantaged and is not able to function at the same level as other non-disabled people. It specifically classifies them, doubts their accomplishments, and limits their capabilities.
By using this negative term, we are setting up the basis for further discrimination. We must eliminate the usage of this word because it offends those with disabilities by limiting their potential to live a "normal" life.
- Erika Sanchez, Freshman
Issue on the article on Disability and Society seminar's presentation
This is a letter to address a general concern of numerous Johns Hopkins faculties and students. I am a student in the Disability & Society seminar, and I stumbled upon an issue that has distressed many last week.
Firstly, our group's presentation on Ames Hall mentioned the word "handicapped." Also, the article on our class's presentations contained the word "handicapped" several times.
Although "handicapped" has been (wrongfully) coined for centuries, words like "handicap" or "handicapped" are erroneous and even belittling in referring to the people with disability.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word "handicap" as "a disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult." Here, disability is described as a drawback and a substandard characteristic.
However, disability should not be seen as a "disadvantage" but as a certain type of cultural diversity. The human population has lived with numerous physical and mental disabilities, and as the 21st century dawned, the public seized to see disability as curses and punishments but as another type of phenotype.
Therefore, the politically correct way of referring to the population with disability is "people with disability." As our presentation group and the press utilized the wrong words to refer to the population with disability, countless number of people was strongly offended.
I acknowledge the fact that our group has made a fatal mistake in using the word "handicapped" and desire to inform the press and the JHU community of the politically correct method of calling those who "have disabilities."
- Moses Song, Freshman
Editor's Note: In the article "Disability study examines campus access," the word "handicapped" was used twice. Though this word was used by some students during their presentation on disability access, The News-Letter should have been more diligent in making sure the language met our style guidelines. The Associated Press Stylebook states that the word "handicap . . . should be avoided in describing a disability." However, the Stylebook also states that the terms "disabled or handicapped" should not be used "unless it is clearly pertinent to a story."
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