#languagematters — Public Fediverse posts

#LanguageMatters, CNN! It's "Trump 'desecrated,'" not "toured." Why is this evil, vain, greedy, deceitful #orangeDecibyte still president? Asking for some billion friends. #DontObeyInAdvance but #resist to #saveDemocracy! #Boycott the men's #FIFAWorldcup & #OlympicGames! #strongerTogether: #ALText:)

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dzezcmpb3fhcpns4n4xm4ur5/post/3mldqditw2a2u

#LanguageMatters, CNN! It's "Trump 'desecrated,'" not "toured." Why is this evil, vain, greedy, deceitful #orangeDecibyte still president? Asking for some billion friends. #DontObeyInAdvance but #resist to #saveDemocracy! #Boycott the men's #FIFAWorldcup & #OlympicGames! #strongerTogether: #ALText:)

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dzezcmpb3fhcpns4n4xm4ur5/post/3mldqditw2a2u

#LanguageMatters, CNN! It's "Trump 'desecrated,'" not "toured." Why is this evil, vain, greedy, deceitful #orangeDecibyte still president? Asking for some billion friends. #DontObeyInAdvance but #resist to #saveDemocracy! #Boycott the men's #FIFAWorldcup & #OlympicGames! #strongerTogether: #ALText:)

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dzezcmpb3fhcpns4n4xm4ur5/post/3mldqditw2a2u

#LanguageMatters, CNN! It's "Trump 'desecrated,'" not "toured." Why is this evil, vain, greedy, deceitful #orangeDecibyte still president? Asking for some billion friends. #DontObeyInAdvance but #resist to #saveDemocracy! #Boycott the men's #FIFAWorldcup & #OlympicGames! #strongerTogether: #ALText:)

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dzezcmpb3fhcpns4n4xm4ur5/post/3mldqditw2a2u

Great post by Nnamdi Obi on X focusing on the language used by the West when talking about the Global South:

"Every time the West calls an African country "unstable" they mean the resources stopped flowing. I made a glossary of 100 diplomatic words they use and what they actually mean."

"Dictator - A leader who has stopped cooperating with Western extraction. Yesterday's partner, today's tyrant."

#GlobalSouth #LanguageMatters #Journalism
https://orange-anselma-35.tiiny.site/

Will newsroom leaders report accurately and frame the US/Trump bombing #Iran as an act of “war”? So far… “strike” “attack” #LanguageMatters

Описание

Иллюстрация обыгрывает языковую норму и политико-культурный контекст употребления предлогов. Сверху — солдат стоит «на Украине» (поверхность земли), снизу — уже «в Украине» (внутри, в земле/могиле). Визуальная метафора подчеркивает современную норму употребления и одновременно намекает на последствия войны и имперского дискурса. Простая графика делает сообщение мгновенно считываемым и пригодным для вирусного распространения в соцсетях.

Хэштеги

#Украина
#ВУкраине
#ЯзыкИПолитика
#РусскийЯзык
#Грамматика
#ИнформационнаяВойна
#Пропаганда
#СмыслВСловах
#ПолитическаяСатира
#Мем
#Ukraine
#StandWithUkraine
#LanguageMatters
#WarInUkraine
#StopRussianAggression

Описание

Иллюстрация обыгрывает языковую норму и политико-культурный контекст употребления предлогов. Сверху — солдат стоит «на Украине» (поверхность земли), снизу — уже «в Украине» (внутри, в земле/могиле). Визуальная метафора подчеркивает современную норму употребления и одновременно намекает на последствия войны и имперского дискурса. Простая графика делает сообщение мгновенно считываемым и пригодным для вирусного распространения в соцсетях.

Хэштеги

#Украина
#ВУкраине
#ЯзыкИПолитика
#РусскийЯзык
#Грамматика
#ИнформационнаяВойна
#Пропаганда
#СмыслВСловах
#ПолитическаяСатира
#Мем
#Ukraine
#StandWithUkraine
#LanguageMatters
#WarInUkraine
#StopRussianAggression

Описание

Иллюстрация обыгрывает языковую норму и политико-культурный контекст употребления предлогов. Сверху — солдат стоит «на Украине» (поверхность земли), снизу — уже «в Украине» (внутри, в земле/могиле). Визуальная метафора подчеркивает современную норму употребления и одновременно намекает на последствия войны и имперского дискурса. Простая графика делает сообщение мгновенно считываемым и пригодным для вирусного распространения в соцсетях.

Хэштеги

#Украина
#ВУкраине
#ЯзыкИПолитика
#РусскийЯзык
#Грамматика
#ИнформационнаяВойна
#Пропаганда
#СмыслВСловах
#ПолитическаяСатира
#Мем
#Ukraine
#StandWithUkraine
#LanguageMatters
#WarInUkraine
#StopRussianAggression

Описание

Иллюстрация обыгрывает языковую норму и политико-культурный контекст употребления предлогов. Сверху — солдат стоит «на Украине» (поверхность земли), снизу — уже «в Украине» (внутри, в земле/могиле). Визуальная метафора подчеркивает современную норму употребления и одновременно намекает на последствия войны и имперского дискурса. Простая графика делает сообщение мгновенно считываемым и пригодным для вирусного распространения в соцсетях.

Хэштеги

#Украина
#ВУкраине
#ЯзыкИПолитика
#РусскийЯзык
#Грамматика
#ИнформационнаяВойна
#Пропаганда
#СмыслВСловах
#ПолитическаяСатира
#Мем
#Ukraine
#StandWithUkraine
#LanguageMatters
#WarInUkraine
#StopRussianAggression

Описание

Иллюстрация обыгрывает языковую норму и политико-культурный контекст употребления предлогов. Сверху — солдат стоит «на Украине» (поверхность земли), снизу — уже «в Украине» (внутри, в земле/могиле). Визуальная метафора подчеркивает современную норму употребления и одновременно намекает на последствия войны и имперского дискурса. Простая графика делает сообщение мгновенно считываемым и пригодным для вирусного распространения в соцсетях.

Хэштеги

#Украина
#ВУкраине
#ЯзыкИПолитика
#РусскийЯзык
#Грамматика
#ИнформационнаяВойна
#Пропаганда
#СмыслВСловах
#ПолитическаяСатира
#Мем
#Ukraine
#StandWithUkraine
#LanguageMatters
#WarInUkraine
#StopRussianAggression

"the concept of mass atrocity—large-scale and systematic violence inflicted knowingly on civilian populations—aligns with the outcome of current greenhouse gas emissions trajectories"
#ClimateAtrocity - its not like we're driving headlong into a nasty phase to be relieved about when it's over. #languagematters
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589811625000564

RE: https://exquisite.social/@thomholwerda/115985659052873917

It matters.

#LanguageMatters #TruthMatters

How white washing works…

Rape → Sexual Assault →Sexual Abuse →misbehavior

#LanguageMatters #ResposibleJournalism

@georgetakei Totally justified use of potentially offensive but all the more emphatic intensifier (this very lunchtime wanted to stop young man devaluing it by applying to temperature of a clothes dryer; wish I'd had the presence of mind to quote this instance:) #languagematters #theFword

Please stop using "Bipolar" as an adjective.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Watch out for him today, he's being so bipolar" or "My boss is being so bipolar" or even "I can't decide which shoes to buy, I'm being so bipolar about it"?

While it might seem like a harmless figure of speech, it is actually a form of casual ableism.

Here is why:

1) It trivializes a disability. Bipolar disorder isn't just "changing your mind" or "being moody." While everyone experiences ups and downs, Bipolar disorder involves physiological shifts in energy, sleep, and judgment that are often beyond a person’s control. It is a complex mental health condition involving intense manic and depressive episodes that can impact every aspect of a person’s life.

A manic episode is not just "being happy." It can involve a dangerous loss of touch with reality, racing thoughts, and physical exhaustion. A depressive episode is not just "being sad." It is a debilitating clinical state that can make basic survival feel impossible. When we use the word casually, we erase the immense effort it takes for folks to manage these extremes.

2) It reinforces stigma. Using the diagnosis to describe something "unpredictable" or "annoying" suggests that people with the condition are inherently difficult, "crazy," or erratic. The stereotype forces many people into silence.

The truth is, you likely know someone with bipolar disorder, like a colleague who never misses a deadline, a friend who is a pillar of support, or a family member who is incredibly high-functioning. Because of the way the word is thrown around as an insult, they often have to hide their diagnosis to avoid being judged by tropes you’re using. When you use the word casually, you are telling those people that you view their identity as a negative trait.

3) It erases the reality. When "bipolar" is used as a joke, it creates an environment where people living with the condition feel they can’t be honest about their struggles. If the word is always associated with being "dramatic" or "moody" in your social circle, a person experiencing a genuine crisis will likely stay silent to avoid being seen as a stereotype. It turns a medical necessity into a social risk. When we stop using the word as a punchline, we open the door for real, life-saving conversations. Language is the environment we live in. When we use clinical terms as insults, we make the environment toxic for the people who actually need those terms to describe their lives.

If you learned something new from this post or would like to help spread awareness, please share it. We should work together to make our language more inclusive. Have you ever experienced this kind of ableist language in your daily life? Whether you’ve been the one hearing it or the one who realized they needed to change their vocabulary, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Image: From Gerd-Altmann/Pixabay

#LanguageMatters #EndTheStigma #BreakTheStigma #CasualAbleism #BipolarAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Ableism #InclusiveLanguage #SelfCare #Psychology #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar #VisibleNonApparent #Neurodiversity

Please stop using "Bipolar" as an adjective.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Watch out for him today, he's being so bipolar" or "My boss is being so bipolar" or even "I can't decide which shoes to buy, I'm being so bipolar about it"?

While it might seem like a harmless figure of speech, it is actually a form of casual ableism.

Here is why:

1) It trivializes a disability. Bipolar disorder isn't just "changing your mind" or "being moody." While everyone experiences ups and downs, Bipolar disorder involves physiological shifts in energy, sleep, and judgment that are often beyond a person’s control. It is a complex mental health condition involving intense manic and depressive episodes that can impact every aspect of a person’s life.

A manic episode is not just "being happy." It can involve a dangerous loss of touch with reality, racing thoughts, and physical exhaustion. A depressive episode is not just "being sad." It is a debilitating clinical state that can make basic survival feel impossible. When we use the word casually, we erase the immense effort it takes for folks to manage these extremes.

2) It reinforces stigma. Using the diagnosis to describe something "unpredictable" or "annoying" suggests that people with the condition are inherently difficult, "crazy," or erratic. The stereotype forces many people into silence.

The truth is, you likely know someone with bipolar disorder, like a colleague who never misses a deadline, a friend who is a pillar of support, or a family member who is incredibly high-functioning. Because of the way the word is thrown around as an insult, they often have to hide their diagnosis to avoid being judged by tropes you’re using. When you use the word casually, you are telling those people that you view their identity as a negative trait.

3) It erases the reality. When "bipolar" is used as a joke, it creates an environment where people living with the condition feel they can’t be honest about their struggles. If the word is always associated with being "dramatic" or "moody" in your social circle, a person experiencing a genuine crisis will likely stay silent to avoid being seen as a stereotype. It turns a medical necessity into a social risk. When we stop using the word as a punchline, we open the door for real, life-saving conversations. Language is the environment we live in. When we use clinical terms as insults, we make the environment toxic for the people who actually need those terms to describe their lives.

If you learned something new from this post or would like to help spread awareness, please share it. We should work together to make our language more inclusive. Have you ever experienced this kind of ableist language in your daily life? Whether you’ve been the one hearing it or the one who realized they needed to change their vocabulary, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Image: From Gerd-Altmann/Pixabay

#LanguageMatters #EndTheStigma #BreakTheStigma #CasualAbleism #BipolarAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Ableism #InclusiveLanguage #SelfCare #Psychology #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar #VisibleNonApparent #Neurodiversity

Please stop using "Bipolar" as an adjective.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Watch out for him today, he's being so bipolar" or "My boss is being so bipolar" or even "I can't decide which shoes to buy, I'm being so bipolar about it"?

While it might seem like a harmless figure of speech, it is actually a form of casual ableism.

Here is why:

1) It trivializes a disability. Bipolar disorder isn't just "changing your mind" or "being moody." While everyone experiences ups and downs, Bipolar disorder involves physiological shifts in energy, sleep, and judgment that are often beyond a person’s control. It is a complex mental health condition involving intense manic and depressive episodes that can impact every aspect of a person’s life.

A manic episode is not just "being happy." It can involve a dangerous loss of touch with reality, racing thoughts, and physical exhaustion. A depressive episode is not just "being sad." It is a debilitating clinical state that can make basic survival feel impossible. When we use the word casually, we erase the immense effort it takes for folks to manage these extremes.

2) It reinforces stigma. Using the diagnosis to describe something "unpredictable" or "annoying" suggests that people with the condition are inherently difficult, "crazy," or erratic. The stereotype forces many people into silence.

The truth is, you likely know someone with bipolar disorder, like a colleague who never misses a deadline, a friend who is a pillar of support, or a family member who is incredibly high-functioning. Because of the way the word is thrown around as an insult, they often have to hide their diagnosis to avoid being judged by tropes you’re using. When you use the word casually, you are telling those people that you view their identity as a negative trait.

3) It erases the reality. When "bipolar" is used as a joke, it creates an environment where people living with the condition feel they can’t be honest about their struggles. If the word is always associated with being "dramatic" or "moody" in your social circle, a person experiencing a genuine crisis will likely stay silent to avoid being seen as a stereotype. It turns a medical necessity into a social risk. When we stop using the word as a punchline, we open the door for real, life-saving conversations. Language is the environment we live in. When we use clinical terms as insults, we make the environment toxic for the people who actually need those terms to describe their lives.

If you learned something new from this post or would like to help spread awareness, please share it. We should work together to make our language more inclusive. Have you ever experienced this kind of ableist language in your daily life? Whether you’ve been the one hearing it or the one who realized they needed to change their vocabulary, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Image: From Gerd-Altmann/Pixabay

#LanguageMatters #EndTheStigma #BreakTheStigma #CasualAbleism #BipolarAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Ableism #InclusiveLanguage #SelfCare #Psychology #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar #VisibleNonApparent #Neurodiversity

Please stop using "Bipolar" as an adjective.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Watch out for him today, he's being so bipolar" or "My boss is being so bipolar" or even "I can't decide which shoes to buy, I'm being so bipolar about it"?

While it might seem like a harmless figure of speech, it is actually a form of casual ableism.

Here is why:

1) It trivializes a disability. Bipolar disorder isn't just "changing your mind" or "being moody." While everyone experiences ups and downs, Bipolar disorder involves physiological shifts in energy, sleep, and judgment that are often beyond a person’s control. It is a complex mental health condition involving intense manic and depressive episodes that can impact every aspect of a person’s life.

A manic episode is not just "being happy." It can involve a dangerous loss of touch with reality, racing thoughts, and physical exhaustion. A depressive episode is not just "being sad." It is a debilitating clinical state that can make basic survival feel impossible. When we use the word casually, we erase the immense effort it takes for folks to manage these extremes.

2) It reinforces stigma. Using the diagnosis to describe something "unpredictable" or "annoying" suggests that people with the condition are inherently difficult, "crazy," or erratic. The stereotype forces many people into silence.

The truth is, you likely know someone with bipolar disorder, like a colleague who never misses a deadline, a friend who is a pillar of support, or a family member who is incredibly high-functioning. Because of the way the word is thrown around as an insult, they often have to hide their diagnosis to avoid being judged by tropes you’re using. When you use the word casually, you are telling those people that you view their identity as a negative trait.

3) It erases the reality. When "bipolar" is used as a joke, it creates an environment where people living with the condition feel they can’t be honest about their struggles. If the word is always associated with being "dramatic" or "moody" in your social circle, a person experiencing a genuine crisis will likely stay silent to avoid being seen as a stereotype. It turns a medical necessity into a social risk. When we stop using the word as a punchline, we open the door for real, life-saving conversations. Language is the environment we live in. When we use clinical terms as insults, we make the environment toxic for the people who actually need those terms to describe their lives.

If you learned something new from this post or would like to help spread awareness, please share it. We should work together to make our language more inclusive. Have you ever experienced this kind of ableist language in your daily life? Whether you’ve been the one hearing it or the one who realized they needed to change their vocabulary, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Image: From Gerd-Altmann/Pixabay

#LanguageMatters #EndTheStigma #BreakTheStigma #CasualAbleism #BipolarAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Ableism #InclusiveLanguage #SelfCare #Psychology #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar #VisibleNonApparent #Neurodiversity

Please stop using "Bipolar" as an adjective.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Watch out for him today, he's being so bipolar" or "My boss is being so bipolar" or even "I can't decide which shoes to buy, I'm being so bipolar about it"?

While it might seem like a harmless figure of speech, it is actually a form of casual ableism.

Here is why:

1) It trivializes a disability. Bipolar disorder isn't just "changing your mind" or "being moody." While everyone experiences ups and downs, Bipolar disorder involves physiological shifts in energy, sleep, and judgment that are often beyond a person’s control. It is a complex mental health condition involving intense manic and depressive episodes that can impact every aspect of a person’s life.

A manic episode is not just "being happy." It can involve a dangerous loss of touch with reality, racing thoughts, and physical exhaustion. A depressive episode is not just "being sad." It is a debilitating clinical state that can make basic survival feel impossible. When we use the word casually, we erase the immense effort it takes for folks to manage these extremes.

2) It reinforces stigma. Using the diagnosis to describe something "unpredictable" or "annoying" suggests that people with the condition are inherently difficult, "crazy," or erratic. The stereotype forces many people into silence.

The truth is, you likely know someone with bipolar disorder, like a colleague who never misses a deadline, a friend who is a pillar of support, or a family member who is incredibly high-functioning. Because of the way the word is thrown around as an insult, they often have to hide their diagnosis to avoid being judged by tropes you’re using. When you use the word casually, you are telling those people that you view their identity as a negative trait.

3) It erases the reality. When "bipolar" is used as a joke, it creates an environment where people living with the condition feel they can’t be honest about their struggles. If the word is always associated with being "dramatic" or "moody" in your social circle, a person experiencing a genuine crisis will likely stay silent to avoid being seen as a stereotype. It turns a medical necessity into a social risk. When we stop using the word as a punchline, we open the door for real, life-saving conversations. Language is the environment we live in. When we use clinical terms as insults, we make the environment toxic for the people who actually need those terms to describe their lives.

If you learned something new from this post or would like to help spread awareness, please share it. We should work together to make our language more inclusive. Have you ever experienced this kind of ableist language in your daily life? Whether you’ve been the one hearing it or the one who realized they needed to change their vocabulary, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Image: From Gerd-Altmann/Pixabay

#LanguageMatters #EndTheStigma #BreakTheStigma #CasualAbleism #BipolarAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Ableism #InclusiveLanguage #SelfCare #Psychology #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar #VisibleNonApparent #Neurodiversity

Passive voice is the language of plausible deniability. It's how institutions avoid ownership. It's how harm gets reframed as something that just happens, like weather, instead of something people do.

You don't need to diagram sentences. But you do need to ask: Who's missing from this sentence? Whose hand is being hidden?

Because when we let the subject disappear, so does the accountability.

https://open.substack.com/pub/differsense/p/stop-dropping-the-fuxing-subject?r=5h4wg0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

#LanguageMatters #Accountability #CriticalThinking #Leadership

Totally agreed. Canadian English has its own identity. A federal shift to British spelling feels like colonial backsliding & unnecessary anti-Americanism. Let’s celebrate our own standards, not borrow from others for no good reason.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/canadian-english-supporters-urge-carney-to-abandon-federal-shift-to-british-spelling/
#cdnpoli #LanguageMatters #CanadianEnglish

@RFancio @pluralistic Is this one of those cases where we should read 'USA' for 'America'? Wanting to be 100% sure, but also #languagematters

Geht's noch, #ZDF? Sie lassen sich Ihren #Bildungsauftrag zu teuer zwangsbezahlen und sollten wissen, wie man Sätze bildet. Sie sollten Redundanz vermeiden: Hier geht es um die Konsumstimmung, und zwar nicht die der Koalabären. #LanguageMatters: Geschlechtergerechte Sprache muss sein, aber nicht so!

Warning, very long post ahead.

I’m Aaron John Dizon, the person Howie Severino mentioned in his recent essay. He used my feedback on ableist language to explore a broader point, and while I welcome the conversation, it missed the deeper message of my advocacy.

Let me start by saying this straight:
I’M BLIND, AND I’M PROUD OF IT.
Being blind doesn’t mean I’m lost, stupid, or incapable of thinking for myself. So, when people use “blind” as a negative word, like “blind faith” or “blind obedience”, it hits differently. It’s not just a figure of speech. It’s a reflection of how society still connects blindness to ignorance.
Now, to be clear, I am not against the word blind. I am not trying to avoid it. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. I embrace it. I use it. I introduce myself as blind with pride. Even to my own three-year-old son, who might not yet understand what blindness fully means, I make it clear: Mama and Dada are blind. And he gets it — he knows we don’t see like most people do, but he also knows that doesn’t make us less. We move, we love, and we live fully. That’s the kind of understanding I want to grow in him, that blindness is not a curse, not a defect, not something to be pitied. It’s just a part of who we are, and we’re proud of it. I love the word because it’s part of who I am, and it represents my strength, my independence, and my truth.
What I don’t accept is when people use blind to mean something negative, when it’s used to describe people who refuse to think, who follow without question, who ignore what’s wrong. That’s not what being blind means. So, when someone says “it’s just a metaphor,” that’s where I draw the line.

In that essay, Howie quoted Aleeia saying:
“Before people react or feel hurt, they should first look at where the word comes from, what it really means, and what the speaker’s intent was. Words don’t always have the same meaning depending on the situation.”
And honestly, this is exactly the problem. That kind of statement blames the people who speak up, as if we’re too emotional, too sensitive, or too quick to be offended. It puts the focus on intent instead of impact. But intent doesn’t erase harm. You don’t get to say, “I didn’t mean it that way,” and expect that to fix the hurt. Because the truth is, when you use “blind” to describe people who don’t think or who lack awareness, you’re still reinforcing the same old idea that blindness equals ignorance. And that’s not something you can explain away with “context.”
Then she said:
“For me, hearing the word ‘blind’ in this context isn’t offensive at all. Just because a word is used doesn’t automatically mean it’s discrimination or an insult. Some people get offended right away when they hear ‘blind,’ but I think that reaction often comes from misunderstanding the context. In my case, I don’t feel insulted when someone calls me blind, because it’s simply the truth. I am blind. It’s a fact, not a negative label. And I don’t treat my blindness as a problem I need to get rid of or a weakness I have to fix.”
See, this is where it completely contradicts itself. If you say you’re proud of being blind, good, so am I. but how can you defend people using our word to describe ignorance or lack of awareness? That’s not pride; that’s permission. That’s letting others twist something we live and breathe into an insult.
True pride means defending the dignity of your identity. It means saying, “Yes, I am blind, but don’t use that word to describe what’s wrong with the world.”

Howie also wrote that he “won’t promise to stop using those expressions,” but will “try to be more thoughtful.” If you truly believe in inclusivity, you don’t try, you do better. You listen, you learn, and you stop using words that reinforce discrimination, even unintentionally.
Let’s be clear: Howie didn’t frame this as a nuanced discussion. Instead, he used Aleeia’s comfort with the word ‘blind’ to counter my advocacy, which shifted the focus from a systemic critique to a personal debate. My lived experience and call for dignity became the “issue to be balanced,” rather than the perspective that needed attention.
This is not nuance, this is a shortcut in reporting that overlooked the full context. One blind person’s personal reaction does not invalidate a systemic critique about language and representation. Using a single perspective to soften another’s lived reality does not advance understanding, it obscures it.
True journalistic responsibility would mean engaging with the advocacy at its core, not reframing it as a matter of opinion to be “balanced.” My feedback, the voice of someone directly confronting discrimination, deserves recognition, not sidelining.
And this, this is what’s wrong with how media in the Philippines has shaped public thinking for so long. We’ve been portrayed as pitiful, helpless, or inspirational objects, never as equals.
Kaya ngayon, kapag may bulag na nagsalita tungkol sa respeto at dignidad, ang dali nating sabihan ng “Uy, ang liit lang naman na issue,” or “bakit sobra kang galit?”
But no, this is not a small issue. This is exactly how discrimination survives through words, habits, and the excuses we keep making for them.
If you truly advocate for inclusivity, then you won’t defend a language that treats blindness like a defect or an insult. You’ll listen. You’ll rethink. You’ll open your eyes, ironically, that’s what real awareness means.
This isn’t about being sensitive. This is about being seen and respected, not as metaphors, but as people.

And to you, Aleeia, who is blind and supposedly understands the weight of our struggles, shame on you for defending those who use our identity as their shortcut to insult or ignorance. You, of all people, should know how it feels to live every day in a world that already misrepresents us, and yet here you are, siding with the very thinking that keeps us there. That’s not understanding. That’s betrayal. You didn’t just miss the point, you helped prove why this advocacy is needed in the first place. Because if even one of us, a blind person, can justify this kind of language, then the problem runs deeper than ignorance, it’s internalized shame. And that’s something we need to unlearn, not defend.
So yes, I’ll keep standing by what I said.
I’M BLIND, AND I’M PROUD OF IT.
But I’ll never stay silent when people, even those who share our blindness, allow the world to keep treating our word as something shameful.
— Aaron John Dizon

#Blind #ProudlyBlind #LanguageMatters #MediaResponsibility #Ableism #InclusiveLanguage #InclusionMatters #Bulag #SayTheWord #DisabilityPH #Philippines

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17Ywx2BmQq/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/features/110728/essay-an-eye-opening-provocation-from-a-reader/story/#google_vignette/

I want to share something I'm really proud of.

In late July I found a 2016 Novo Nordisk Foundation article about intersex women. Its language was outdated and stigmatizing, calling them "genetically men," leaning on biological determinism, and reducing lives to a medical case.

I wrote with evidence, explained the harm, and asked them to fix it.

They responded quickly and sent a draft within weeks. They removed misgendering and pathologizing and moved away from chromosomes as destiny. I suggested final edits.

In August they published the update. It now centers human diversity, patient care, and informed consent.

Words shape care and how society sees us. My approach: be assertive, name the problem, bring evidence, stay in good faith. One article, one institution, and small wins add up.

I'm proud and will keep pushing for a world where our communities are seen, respected, and affirmed. 💜

Link to the revised article: https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news/more-women-than-expected-are-born-with-a-hidden-variation-in-sex-development/

#Intersex #Trans #LanguageMatters #PatientCenteredCare

I want to share something I'm really proud of.

In late July, I came across a 2016 article from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It discussed intersex women, including those with XY chromosomes, but the language was outdated, reductionist, and stigmatizing. It called them "genetically men," leaned on biological determinism, and framed their lives through a medical lens that undermined their dignity.

I couldn't let that stand, so I wrote to them. I explained why the language was harmful, pointed to current science and bioethics, and asked them to take responsibility.

To their credit, they listened. They replied quickly, acknowledged my concerns, and began reviewing the article. A couple of weeks later they sent me a revised draft. They had already removed the misgendering, replaced pathologizing phrases, and shifted the framing away from chromosomes as destiny. I suggested a few more adjustments to make the language even more accurate and affirming.

At the end of August, they published the updated article in English and Danish. The harmful wording is largely gone. The framing now centers human diversity, patient-centered care, and informed consent.

It may not sound dramatic, but these changes matter. Words shape how people see themselves, how they are treated by doctors, and how society understands trans and intersex lives. Correcting language in a piece like this helps chip away at stigma that has caused harm for decades.

Here's what this looked like in practice for me: I was assertive. I named where I disagreed. I brought factual evidence. I kept the exchange in good faith. I stayed open to change and supported it when it happened.

It is one article, one institution, one moment. Little by little, contribution by contribution, we are changing things. I'm proud that I stood up and made a difference here, and I'll keep doing what I can to push for a world where our communities are seen, respected, and affirmed. 💜

Link to the revised article: https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news/more-women-than-expected-are-born-with-a-hidden-variation-in-sex-development/

#Intersex #Trans #LanguageMatters #PatientCenteredCare

We are 'Modern' only on average. The myth of Modernity looks neat in statistical summaries, but the tails – superstition, myth, impulse, irrationality – are where most of human life still live.
Within one sigma, you get the flag-waving rationalists. Beyond it, the human mess.

https://philosophics.blog/2025/09/16/within-one-sigma-of-civilisation/

#Philosophy #Modernity #CriticalTheory #LanguageMatters #Sigma #Thoughts #Ideas #PhilosophyOfScience

What 19th-century European understandings of war and dueling can tell us about Putin's murderous invasion of Ukraine and how he labels his war: https://markstoneman.com/2022/08/11/more-than-a.html (blogged 3 years ago)
#PutinsWar #RussoUkrainianWar #LanguageMatters #HistoryMatters #PastAndPresent 🗃️

I want to share something I'm really proud of.

In late July, I came across a 2016 article from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It discussed intersex women, including those with XY chromosomes, but the language was outdated, reductionist, and stigmatizing. It called them "genetically men," leaned on biological determinism, and framed their lives through a medical lens that undermined their dignity.

I couldn't let that stand, so I wrote to them. I explained why the language was harmful, pointed to current science and bioethics, and asked them to take responsibility.

To their credit, they listened. They replied quickly, acknowledged my concerns, and began reviewing the article. A couple of weeks later they sent me a revised draft. They had already removed the misgendering, replaced pathologizing phrases, and shifted the framing away from chromosomes as destiny. I suggested a few more adjustments to make the language even more accurate and affirming.

At the end of August, they published the updated article in English and Danish. The harmful wording is largely gone. The framing now centers human diversity, patient-centered care, and informed consent.

It may not sound dramatic, but these changes matter. Words shape how people see themselves, how they are treated by doctors, and how society understands trans and intersex lives. Correcting language in a piece like this helps chip away at stigma that has caused harm for decades.

Here's what this looked like in practice for me: I was assertive. I named where I disagreed. I brought factual evidence. I kept the exchange in good faith. I stayed open to change and supported it when it happened.

It is one article, one institution, one moment. Little by little, contribution by contribution, we are changing things. I'm proud that I stood up and made a difference here, and I'll keep doing what I can to push for a world where our communities are seen, respected, and affirmed. 💜

Link to the revised article: https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news/more-women-than-expected-are-born-with-a-hidden-variation-in-sex-development/

#Intersex #Trans #LanguageMatters #PatientCenteredCare

AI isn’t the problem—ignorant commentary is. If you don’t understand semiotics, Wittgenstein’s language games, or Derrida’s différance, you’ve failed the test. Licence revoked.

📜 https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/17/if-you-dont-understand-how-language-works-you-should-lose-your-licence-to-comment-on-llms/

#LLMs #GenerativeAI #Semiotics #GenAI #Poststructuralism #LanguageMatters #Philosophy #PhilosophicsBlog #language #PhilosophyOfLanguage #Structuralism

#LanguageMatters #ПутінІдиНахуй 🇺🇦

LIVE, Dammit Bluesky Blog

#YESquote: The Collected #Schizophrenias/ Esmé Weijun Wang - "No one ever says that a person is cancer, or that they have become cancer, but they do say that a person is #manic-depressive or #schizophrenic, once those #illnesses have taken hold.” #PersonFirst #LanguageMatters bit.ly/45cmDbd

LINK: https://bsky.app/profile/livedammit.bsky.social/post/3luuxqwcap22y

---------
LIVEdammit is a mental health support site with stories, tools, free e-course, bookstore & inspiring wearables — for stubborn souls doing the work to stay here, stay human, & stay strong.

WEBSITE: https://LIVEdammit.com

This robot is not affiliated with LIVEdammit.
--------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #livedammit #suicide

@micefearboggis note to self #LLM #languagematters

There aren't "underage girls" either. Women aren't girls, and "young girls" are toddlers. #LanguageMatters!

Why I Don't Spend My Time Policing Language

I wrote above about the erasure of femininity and I stand by every word. However, just because something is "right" or "correct" does not mean that every action taken in service of it is useful, strategic, or even desirable.

Language does matter. It really does. However, how we engage with others matters a ton more than language does.

We are living through multiple overlapping crises, and I've had to ask myself what kinds of acts actually protect people, build solidarity, and help us survive.

It is easy to fill our voids, our existential dreads, with self-righteousness. It is a temptation to quicken ourselves by finding the faults in others, especially when we know a community can rally around us.

Working with compassion and empathy is much much harder.

I've chosen not to spend my time correcting or policing others language (including misgendering me) not because I think the words are harmless, but because I think there are more urgent and effective way s to confront those harms.

The reality is that language is fluid and changes. Often times that fluidity isn't kind or fair. In fact, it generally will reflect the zeitgeist, which is neither kind nor fair to the feminine now a days. However, the reality is that "guys" and "dude" are becoming gender neutral terms. We can critique what the flow says about us, but fighting it is sticking your finger in the dam.

And the only way to fight it is to be prescriptive about language. Insisting that there is a "correct", "proper", or "respectable" way to speak is classist garbage, and often racist classist garbage. Asking others to speak in a certain way is actually just asking for them to conform to your in-group affectations.

I despise leftist groupthink. I hated Latinx before it was cool, and don't like "folx" either. I'm not conforming. But more importantly, what asking others to do by conforming, is telling them they are _excluded_ from the group _unless_ they conform.

This is outward social pressure away from progressive voices. This is selective pressure and purity politics in a lesser form. Call outs are not a mechanism for social change, but instead a means of creating cohesive group identity and providing a psychological reward to the person who initiated the callout.

Remember, language is mostly inherited fro our family, community, and peer group. A callout, or policing someones language, is to critique their social identity. People will inherently become defensive. At best they robotically do as told, and engage in performative correctness without examining their values. This is not justice.

Worse, it can create blowback. We are living through dangerous times. Any act which makes someone afraid to speak up is an act of despicable evil. The creation of shame, confusion, or defensiveness; making people afraid in any way, is driving them into the arms of fascism. I worry that by overcorrecting on small things, we push people away from bigger and more vital conversations.

In trying to "win" the battle of words, we are losing the war.

Ultimately, I've become more interested in effective politics than theory. I'm increasingly focused on strategy over performance. What is the most effective way to prevent queer youth from dying? To keep trans people from being legislated out of existence? To prevent women from becoming cattle? To prevent the collapse of our ecosystems and to push back against the encroaching authoritarian hellscape.

When I am serious about what that takes, it doesn't involve arguments about casual language. The fight requires empathy, DIY know-how, mutual understanding, and trust networks.

So, yes. Gender neutral dude is fucked up. No, I don't care if you use it.

#dude #dudegate #LanguageMatters #Feminism #Trans #Empathy #CalloutCulture #FuckPurityPolitics #fascism

Most Hebrew apps teach sentences like “The cat writes a letter.”

Cute—but not helpful if you want to actually talk to Israelis.

If you’ve been learning for months (or years) and still feel stuck, it’s not your fault.

It’s the method.

I teach Hebrew differently—real-life conversation, real connection, real results.

Let’s get you unstuck.

#LanguageSkills #Hebrew #languagedevelopment #learnhebrew #LanguageMatters

A passage that showcases the power of words through chiasmus. Reading it forward, it downplays the impact of words. However, reading it in reverse, it reveals the immense power and influence words truly hold. This clever structure highlights how perspective can change the meaning and perceived power of language.

Read more: https://stean.art/the-power-of-words/
Reading Time: < 1 min

#PowerOfWords #WordInfluence #LanguageMatters

I often have a giggle at work when I hear people from other teams stressing about a deadline and how they need to meet it. Who's going to die? We're not saving lives so stop calling it a deadline.
#corporatespeak #languagematters

Why is the NYT reporting this puritanical Christian-nationalist propaganda gobshite:

https://web.archive.org/web/20250226060742/https://www.yahoo.com/news/dni-tulsi-gabbard-moves-terminate-023818039.html

With this MAGA propaganda article?

https://web.archive.org/web/20250226041124/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/us/politics/gabbard-nsa-firing-explicit-chat.html

I dunno who Julian E. Barnes is but this parrot piece with a complete lack of research, context or explanation is an insult to journalism everywhere.

#Shitty #Journalism #Ethics #News #NYT #FuckYouNewYorkTimes #NewYorkTimes #Language #LanguageMatters #DEI #Trump #Nazi #Propaganda #TulsiGabbard #LGBTQ #Trans #2SLGBTQIA #MAGA

@davidho You get 'compensation' in return for (mis)managing #BarclaysBank! Who knew? #Languagematters

#Workers who are #neurodivergent or have other #disabilities are already prone to facing barriers, but Ms. Campbell’s experience highlights another barrier that emerges when the language used in #JobAds inadvertently weeds out #PeopleWithDisabilities.

This likely contributes to the persistent #underrepresentation of people with disabilities in #Canada’s work force.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/article-with-subtle-phrases-job-postings-inadvertently-weed-out-job-seekers/

#DisabledWorkers #Employment #HumanResources #Ableism #LanguageMatters #DisabledCanadians #CDNpoli

Depending on your standpoint and believes and knowledge of facts or informed assumptions you can pick your descriptive word for them. It even provides you with different hats to wear to analyse a situation from different perspectives.

Language is rich. Language matters.

#languageMatters #WordChoice #CriticalThinking #FactCheck #Reporting #Journalism #Propaganda #ManufacturingConsent

The press cluelessly fan the flames of fascism — They can't even call it what it is

https://www.salon.com/2023/06/05/the-press-cluelessly-fan-the-flames-of-fascism/

#SalonNews #PressAndFascism #MediaResponsibility #JournalismFail #FascismWarning #LanguageMatters #Politics #News

Among my thousands of designs I have many as gaeilge as I believe #Irish should be seen as well as heard. I would also like to do some text based design in #Shelta #Cant and #Gammon but I find that these languages are more spoken than written. Is this correct ? Any help from the Irish traveller community #Mincéirí would be most apricated. Are there any written lists of words or phrases I could use ? #traveller #travellers #ireland #language #LanguageMatters

Welcome to the horrifying conclusion of #TheYellowSign, in which the #CosmicDread peaks, but that dreadful heteronormative exclusion is blissfully absent.

Listen to ep 6 of #LiminalFlares wherever you get your podcasts or at liminalflares.com. It's our best yet. I'm fairly certain ⁣@theremina is pioneering a combination of audio engineering and necromancy in this one.

#GenderInclusive #CosmicHorror #LGBTQIA #Trans #Nonbinary #Genderqueer #Eldritch #Podcast #LanguageMatters

@brainpilgrim I am more than shocked and saddened - that is a whole population of people 😠
I taught those with PMLD and PIMD for 20 years, that is what inspired my blog #languagematters
https://www.autisticrealms.com/post/a-reflection-on-the-use-of-the-word-profound-in-relation-to-those-with-pmld-pimd
#profoundmultiplelearningdisabilities, #PMLD, #profoundintellectualmultipledisabilities, #PIMD

@brainpilgrim I am more than shocked and saddened - that is a whole population of people 😠
I taught those with PMLD and PIMD for 20 years, that is what inspired my blog #languagematters
https://www.autisticrealms.com/post/a-reflection-on-the-use-of-the-word-profound-in-relation-to-those-with-pmld-pimd
#profoundmultiplelearningdisabilities, #PMLD, #profoundintellectualmultipledisabilities, #PIMD

@brainpilgrim I am more than shocked and saddened - that is a whole population of people 😠
I taught those with PMLD and PIMD for 20 years, that is what inspired my blog #languagematters
https://www.autisticrealms.com/post/a-reflection-on-the-use-of-the-word-profound-in-relation-to-those-with-pmld-pimd
#profoundmultiplelearningdisabilities, #PMLD, #profoundintellectualmultipledisabilities, #PIMD