The province of Nova Scotia has issued a list of words it wants banned from use by the news media because it considers them offensive to the mentally ill. It’s offering a bounty to citizens who report use of the terms in newspapers of radio and TV news broadcasts.
The “outdated, negative, inappropriate” terms include: “madman,” “nutcase,” “fruitcake,” “kooky,” “mental hospital,” and “nervous breakdown.”
“Stigma against people with a mental illness often involves negative labels, or inaccurate and offensive representations in the media, portraying this population as violent, comical or incompetent,” said a government statement this week.
Added the province’s health minister, Angus MacIsaac: “This initiative will show us if and how media need more guidance and education.”
Do not for a moment think that I don’t have a tremendous amount of sympathy and support for the mentally illl. Mental illness is a serious, and stigmatized, problem in both Canadian and American society.
But, damn, can anyone read that last paragraph without getting a little chill down their spines?
(via Daimnation)
Ah, that’s nothing. Manitoba is going to ban smoking across the province!
Perhaps because I am a non-smoker, that bothers me a lot less. While studies of second-hand smoke effects may be controversial, societal cost of smoking is not insubstantial. And, so far as I know, there’s not human right to suck burning weed smoke into one’s lungs, whereas screwing around with which words are Rightthinking and Wrongthinking strikes me as a much greater danger.
Oh agreed. But someone should tell Mrs. Grundy.
Perhaps you just need “more guidance and educatio”.
Perhaps the English language could simply be banned. After all, it is the language of Capitalist Hegemony, Imperialism, and Sexism. Therefore all speakers of English can be considered to be Oppressors. In fact, ban all language! All we really need are grunts and squeals anyway.
Hmph.