Well thrill seekers, the results of our first poll are in. In answer to the question “As someone with diabetes, how do you like to be referred to?” unsurprisingly the majority replied with “diabetic”, with the politically-correct “pancreatically-challenged” coming in a close second.
The medieval-style “victim of the pissing evile” was less popular (probably because it takes so long to say), with the aggressive “don’t label me you fascist” coming in last place. So what does this tell us?
Well, not a lot really.
Diabetics don’t seem to mind being called diabetic and I don’t think many people have even thought about it all that much. Which is a pity because I wanted to launch a campaign to have the label “diabetic” declared politically-incorrect and replaced with something else like “pancreatically-challenged”, much to the chagrin of most normal people. A year or so later I would then launch another campaign to “reclaim” the word diabetic as a label.
None of this would achieve anything – but, by God, it would fill the blog out with easy articles! Yay!
Pollsters will be thrilled to see that there is now a new poll up – “The best way of managing Type One diabetes?”
Choices range from the futuristic – “22nd century – stem cell splicing” to the medieval “17th century – trepanning” with some slightly more sensible options in between.
So let us, and the world, know what you think is the best way of managing Type One. Polls have no safeguards whatsoever and so, much like an election in a dodgy African state, you can vote as many times as you like for whatever option you like as often as you like. As long as your choice is the correct one!
Well, this is a slightly redundant post now that the polls no longer work!
Thanks Tim – the polls will be working again soon, don’t worry!
Are you talking to yourself?
Yes…sad, isn’t it?
I think all those hours rebuilding the blog have sent you mad, probably best if you take a break now dear before you crack up completely
I think it’s too late for that…
This is really reassuring! I try to say ‘person with diabetes’ because I’d rather feel like a nong than ever offend someone.
I don’t know about the real world application of ‘pancreatically challenged’, though…
Please pardon my ignorance, @rosief , but what is a “nong” and what does a nong feel like?
Whatever it is, I must say I like the word! π Sounds slightly Milliganeqsue!
Personally, I’m a diabetic.
I’m diabetic. Always have been, always will be (unless scientific breakthroughs suddenly take a massive lead forward, whcih I doubt).
‘Person with Diabetes’ has always struck me as being from the pc brigade which insists on calling blind people ‘visually challenged’ or short people ‘vertically challenged’.
Hence “pancreatically challenged”! π
It’s a hard one, I call myself diabetic, but when I hear Dr’s talk about diabetics as if they’re some kind of specific breed rather than individuals I get a little irritated -http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2009/08/what-am-i/
Blind people and “visually challenged” (actually the term is “visually impaired”) is entirely different though. Most blind people still have some sight (I’m registered blind but I still play sport and go mountain biking, and don’t use a white stick, though technically I should). So visually impaired actually makes much more sense! With diabetes, you’re either diabetic or you’re not, there’s no half measures as there is with blindness. Calling short people vertically challenged is, however, daft…. I’m a short visually impaired diabetic!!!
Or how about something like “person with a sub standard endocrine system” γγγ
@mikeinspain – that implies there is a “standard endocrine system”; from what I’ve seen most peoples’ endocrine systems are at least a bit unusual if not actually broken in some respect! π
@nigho Very true.. Will have to think up something better! γγγBugger!