Healthcare professionals using insulting language - Page 4

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  1. Feb 24, '12 by
    Quote from nursel56
    because it's happened that I've inadvertently said words and then realized to my horror someone who fits those categories is standing next to me.
    Yes, I have also accidentally hurt peoples' feelings before and felt terrible about it. When you have a mouth as big as mine, unfortunately you are going to put your foot in it at times.

    Big difference between that and having people get offended for no reason at all other than they are offended by pretty much everything.

    Those are the people I make it a point to offend on a regular basis... :flamesonb
    nursel56 likes this.
  2. Feb 24, '12 by
    As a firm believer in the right to free speech, I never-the-less have to agree that certain words carry consequences. Case in point--my 9 year old daughter started saying "that's so gay". She picked this up in school and had no idea that this "short hand" was actually denigrating a whole section of society. Needed to make her understand how this type of speech would lead her and her friends to think that being gay = something bad/ridiculous/silly. Don't know if she really understands now, but kids pick up on what adults say and don't say/confront. I may not be able to stop a war, but I can, at the very least, work within my own small circle to make the world a less ugly place.
    Hoozdo, ~*Stargazer*~, tokmom, and 3 others like this.
  3. Feb 24, '12 by
    I've seen people (myself included) use the terms "gay" and "retard" in the proper context get wrongly chastised by some overly dramatic do-gooder that seems to have forgotten that both words have their own proper, non-detrimental place within the English language. Not saying everyone does this, but some people just seem to enjoy calling people out for the sake of stroking their own conceited ego. Don't make these words red flags, because it may be you that ends up looking like the bigoted fool. Turn your radar down a few notches and thicken that skin up some.
    RN in training and Rick68fl like this.
  4. Feb 25, '12 by
    Quote from sutelibunn
    I've seen people (myself included) use the terms "gay" and "retard" in the proper context get wrongly chastised by some overly dramatic do-gooder that seems to have forgotten that both words have their own proper, non-detrimental place within the English language. Not saying everyone does this, but some people just seem to enjoy calling people out for the sake of stroking their own conceited ego. Don't make these words red flags, because it may be you that ends up looking like the bigoted fool. Turn your radar down a few notches and thicken that skin up some.
    So you could easily use the term retarded in front of a mom with a mentally and or physically challenged kid and not feel akward?

    I don't call people out on a daily basis, but when I had to go to work with the 'short bus' crowd it became old really quick. People wouldn't use that word if they ever had to spend a day in the life of a special needs family who has to watch their child face challenges every day of their lives.
    Spidey's mom, Epic_RN, wooh, and 1 other like this.
  5. Asst. Admin
    Feb 25, '12 by
    As part Gypsy I don't find the term gypped offensive, but it has never been used in such an extreme hurtful manner as Fa&&ot, and the N word. Retard, fatty, gay, when used to hurt is wrong. I have always reminded my teenage children, their entire lives, the they are far too articulate and educated to degrade themselves and their education by using inappropriate vocabulary. While it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the current list of "politically correct" words I remind my children that it they can't say anuthing nice.....say nothing at all.

    Shame on the adults that act like children.
    Purple_Scrubs, Altra, tokmom, and 2 others like this.
  6. Feb 25, '12 by
    I've always told my children that using words like these in a way to hurt others, as well as curse words, is simply a sign of a poor vocabulary and limited intelligence. Of course, my oldest can now insult people in such a way that they don't realize they've been insulted, but that is another battle altogether
    Merlyn, VivaLasViejas, and Spidey's mom like this.
  7. Feb 25, '12 by
    I chose to watch what I say at work....I work with peds and I'm careful with the language I use. I also am careful because I can influence kids without realizing it.

    However, as with ANY word we use, it is a sound. If a sound is offensive to you, there is a much deeper issue. As an adult you can ignore it or realize that chances are the person meant no harm. The person making the comment (sound) had no intentions of insulting your family/friend and it wasn't directed at them. Language will continue to change and one day we will laugh at those words as being offensive and have new words that are offensive. Look back at old words that were offensive that we laugh at today. Too many people are way too sensitive. I don't care what a nurse or any other person has to say....someone will be offended in some way. Quite annoying in my opinion. If people weren't so sensitive, this wouldn't be an issue to begin with.

    I work with mentally challenged kids. I simply don't use the word "retard". Haven't said it since I was a kid and it was an accepted word at the time. But if I heard another nurse use the term or even a family member, I'd just ignore it. Its the adult thing to do.
  8. Feb 25, '12 by
    Quote from tokmom
    So you could easily use the term retarded in front of a mom with a mentally and or physically challenged kid and not feel akward?
    No, not if I used it to mean slow, delayed, hindered, or impeded, because that's what the word "retard" means. The definition by which you and other people are getting upset about is the slang definition. You can take any word and make it an insult if you tried hard enough. It's all in the connotation implied by the speaker and the interpretation of the listener. I once saw a person berate a British man for walking up to a friend and asking for a "***". He was asking for a cigarette, because that's the common colloquial term where he comes from, but this other person didn't know that and didn't bother to attempt to decipher the meaning behind his use of the word. All they heard was what they misinterpreted as a "bad word", and that required, in their mind, a good and thorough reprimanding. It was a glorious display of ignorance and foolishness but a good laugh was had once the situation was carefully explained to the myopic person.
    Epic_RN and SDALPN like this.
  9. Feb 25, '12 by
    Quote from RN in training
    And sidenote: I made for some serious awkwardness the other night. My hubs had 2 friends over to watch a big bball game on tv. I was watching with them and one of his friends said "something or other blah blah f**got!" ummmm I muted the television STAT. I told him that is not a word we use in our house and if he feels the need to use it again to please step outside. Sorry I just couldn't hold my tongue... Something about f**got just really hurts my heart extra deep. Oops! I guess that friend will either respect me more now or not come hang out anymore at our house... Either way, works for me!
    Bravo RN in training. Your response to this ugly word warms my heart during a blizzard outdoors. You rock!
    Epic_RN likes this.
  10. Feb 25, '12 by
    All I can say is that it is the group being in which the comment is being said about that gets to decide if it is hurtful or not. I personally am a gay man and I liken the use of the word f**** with the "N" word. You just absolutely never, under any circumstances use it. You just don't use it! At least to me. These are words that have historically been used to silence, trivialize, demoralize and otherwise dehumanize a specific group of people. If those who said these things only realized how they cut like a knife. I now call out other grown men on the use of the word F****. I tell them it is extremely offensive, which it is!
    Purple_Scrubs, Altra, kids, and 1 other like this.