I have decided to include the full prompt for today\u2019s blog here in order to provide some background for people who may be unfamiliar with this diabetes debate:<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is an old saying that states \u201cSticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me\u201d. I’m willing to bet we’ve all disagreed with this at some point, and especially when it comes to diabetes. Many advocate for the importance of using non-stigmatizing, inclusive and non-judgmental language when speaking about or to people with diabetes. For some, they don’t care, others care passionately. Where do you stand when it comes to \u201cperson with diabetes\u201d versus \u201cdiabetic\u201d, or \u201cchecking\u201d blood sugar versus \u201ctesting\u201d, or any of the tons of other examples? Let’s explore the power of words, but please remember to keep things respectful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before I became an active member of the DOC (Diabetes Online Community), I paid no attention to the words I use when describing my diabetes. For example, I always referred to myself as a \u201cdiabetic\u201d rather than \u201cperson with diabetes\u201d. There was no reasoning for it other than it was easy to say \u201cdiabetic\u201d when explaining it to others. I used \u201cchecking\u201d and \u201ctesting\u201d my blood sugar interchangeably because they were synonymous to me. Even phrases like \u201cmy blood sugar is low\/high\u201d versus \u201cmy blood sugar is hypo\/hyper\u201d don\u2019t faze me\u2014I swap them out depending on the context of the conversation.<\/p>\n
I think that when I was diagnosed (nearly 20 years ago), diabetes descriptors were much less open to interpretation. In other words, they weren\u2019t really perceived as labeling someone by the condition, they were merely parts of speech that identified something that affects me and my daily activities. That being said, I grew up saying these words without giving it a second thought.<\/p>\n
However, as I\u2019ve become more immersed in the DOC, I\u2019ve come to understand that these words can bother some people. As a result, I\u2019ve done my best to be sensitive to this issue and try to use \u201cperson with diabetes\u201d or \u201cPWD\u201d as much as possible.<\/p>\n
There is one word, though, that I choose to exclude from my personal diabetes dictionary, and that word is \u201ccan\u2019t\u201d. In my opinion, it\u2019s not appropriate to tell me that I \u201ccan\u2019t\u201d eat a particular food or \u201ccan\u2019t\u201d participate in a certain activity. It perpetuates a stigma that I loathe about diabetes, which is that diabetes prevents me from taking part in mundane aspects of life.<\/p>\n
Overall, I\u2019m a person who loves and respects the power of language. I\u2019m accepting of the fact that certain words and phrases bother some people more than others and more than willing to accommodate that in my speech and writing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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