anyways, so you can reblog the info without giving the bigot notes:
Freak has historically been a slur used against physically disabled people. It comes from literal "freak shows", which were the only times disabled people were allowed to be in public (because it was literally illegal for them to be out in public otherwise, because they'd ''disturb'' people too much), when they were being paraded around like animals. It's still used this way today a lot, and now used to target more people, like trans people, but the primary target is still disabled people.
"I am disabled and I can assure you that there are better ways for you to be an ally to me than by barking at everyone who says 'freak' on the internet"
I am also disabled and I was called a freak throughout my childhood. I am not "barking" at you. You asked Ehud for an explanation, and I happened to know the necessary info.
If you don't actually want your questions answered, then next time just say that instead of making me waste my time.
Just because it's the internet doesn't mean everything goes. The words we use to communicate affect everything. I don't know why you think it being "on the internet" suddenly makes it okay, lol.
You being disabled doesn't mean you automatically know everything there is to know about disabilities and what terms are and are not harmful, especially when you admit you didn't know freak was an ableist term.
I'm not barking at you or being mean, I'm trying to help you understand something you asked a question about. If you don't actually care about not being ableist, even in small ways, then just say that.
But no, it being the internet and you being disabled doesn't magically make it okay, that's not how any of this has ever worked, and it never will.
how about you be an ally to other disabled people and be willing to dispense with a word that's ableist? It's not difficult. You can in fact just call people what they are -- bigots, creeps, people who'd rather worship pedophiles and serial killers than give a shit about other people. Ect. It's not difficult.
Freak has historically been used and continues to be used as a slur against disabled people, especially physically disabled people.
If you care even the tiniest bit about making the world a less ableist place, then you do in fact need to be willing to change the language you use.
Using "freak" as an insult is ableist, completely unnecessary, and in many cases dose nothing but obfuscate what exactly you're insulting the person for. If someone is a pedophile, call them a pedophile, not a freak. If someone worships real life serial killers, say that, instead of calling them a freak.
The language you use to communicate with others is the foundation for everything else you think and do. That's just how language works. If you aren't /even. willing to not use an ableist word as an insult, then yeah, it's going to be a lot more difficult for you to stop doing other ableist things.
And no, you personally also being disabled does not mean it's impossible for you to be ableist. That's not how this works. No one's experiences with being oppressed make it impossible for them to oppress other people. You can be disabled and ableist. People do it every day.
Don't use your disability as a shield to hide behind to downplay and justify your ableism. All you're doing is hurting other people.
Stop using "freak" as an insult. There are plenty of better words you could be using.
And if you don't actually give a shit about why something you've said or done is bigoted, then just fucking say that, don't make people waste their time explaining it to you because they think you seriously want to learn and do better.
