Quote Originally Posted by Catsnclay
I'm sure nobody meant anything bad when they refered to Gina as deaf, and yes now the correct term is 'hearing impared'
But according to Gina its the opposite. She is deaf NOT hearing impaired. But yet someone else (who will remain anonymous but is also hearing impaired)tells me that it is the opposite. That they are hearing impaired and not deaf, that Deaf is the derogatory word. So is it a personal preference?

Is Handicapped also a derogatory term? I'm just asking- throwing that in the question.(not trying to offend)
I work with a woman who had her leg cut off in the power take-off at about 7 years old - she is an amputee. But I would never consider her disabled or handicapped b/c she just as CNC said - does everything that we do. (and more) It goes along the lines of seeing a person with a handicapped sticker on their vehicle - hop out of the car and run into the store - they look perfectly healthy. There is a chance that they borrowed the car, but just by looking at the person you don't know if they indeed are handicapped. They like CNC can have limb replacements, pacemakers, lung diseases, cancers, etc. Just b/c you can't 'see' the "problem".
While I don't know this guy personally my dad knows of a guy who was 2 years old got BOTH of his arms cut off in an auger on the family farm. We saw him when he was about 16, CANOEING with friends, he held the oar in b/n his chin and neck. Years later my dad ran into him working on a farm, he drove a semi, car, tractor, welded, sawed, climbed UP into a tractor and semi, and ate all with his FEET. He was married with I think a child or 2 at the time. He went out to eat with his coworkers and while they did have to get out his wallet and carry his tray for him, he unwrapped the sandwich himself and eats with his FEET. I remember watching a blurb on TV about a mom that had no arms (I think she was born without them) and it showed her changing diapers with her feet.
I just looked up the word handicap
1hand·i·cap
Pronunciation: 'han-di-"kap, -dE-
Function: noun
Etymology: obsolete English handicap, a game in which forfeit money was held in a cap, from hand in cap
1 a : a race or contest in which an artificial advantage is given or disadvantage imposed on a contestant to equalize chances of winning b : an advantage given or disadvantage imposed usually in the form of points, strokes, weight to be carried, or distance from the target or goal
2 a : a disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult b sometimes offensive : a physical disability
personally I think that sounds MUCH more offensive than impaired.
Main Entry: im·paired
Pronunciation: \-ˈperd\
Function: adjective
Date: 1582
: being in a less than perfect or whole condition: as a: disabled or functionally defective —often used in combination <hearing-impaired> b: intoxicated by alcohol or narcotics <driving while impaired>
disabled
disabled
Function: adjective
Date: 1633
: incapacitated by illness or injury; also : physically or mentally impaired in a way that substantially limits activity especially in relation to employment or education
so in that respect the only person that is TRULY disabled is a person who is in a coma?? That would be correct?
I'm sure it is a long standing debate.
But definatley an interesting topic and one I hope to learn on without fear of being offensive.