I thought this thread had died.
When I made the original post I was refering to in a medical environment.
Sure people use labels for themselves. Judge, Professor, Reverend, Doctor generally to emphasise their social standing. Even sailor emphasises your special abilities.
But 'diabetic' implies that who you are is less important than your disease.
"These are generally the rules for people, but they don't apply to you because you are a 'diabetic'".
"I have diabetes", at least to me, says I (a person) have a condition that anybody could develop no matter who they are.
Sure changing the language won't change the attitudes, but it might just remind people that they are dealing with a person and not just a disease.
When I made the original post I was refering to in a medical environment.
Sure people use labels for themselves. Judge, Professor, Reverend, Doctor generally to emphasise their social standing. Even sailor emphasises your special abilities.
But 'diabetic' implies that who you are is less important than your disease.
"These are generally the rules for people, but they don't apply to you because you are a 'diabetic'".
"I have diabetes", at least to me, says I (a person) have a condition that anybody could develop no matter who they are.
Sure changing the language won't change the attitudes, but it might just remind people that they are dealing with a person and not just a disease.
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