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Does anyone else dislike..

E

ebony321

Well-Known Member
.. the term 'diabetic'?

Sounds weird i know but i don't like to be labelled as 'diabetic' i much prefer just saying i have diabetes, not i'm diabetic.

I was talking about it with my friend who has epilepsy, she doesn't like being labelled epileptic as she described it as it feels that makes it sound like her epilepsy has her, not her having epilepsy.

does that make sense?

I don't particularly mind someone saying 'oh ebony is diabetic' i just would rather it said like 'oh ebony has diabetes'

Like the diabetes belongs to me, i don't belong to diabetes.

God i really hope someone understands this as it sounded much more clearer in thought!

anyway happy to hear peoples thoughts
 
Not a favourite of mine but it could be worse.

A few times a particular use of the word has struck a nerve -such as a doctor/nurse saying something such as "the diabetic over there" within earshot
 
Yes I have always had an issue with this, and have been known to argue the point if I'm in a bad mood :mrgreen: Diabetes doesn't define me 8)
xx
 
imalittlefishy said:
Yes I have always had an issue with this, and have been known to argue the point if I'm in a bad mood :mrgreen: Diabetes doesn't define me 8)
xx
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haha.

Good to know i'm not the only one then


alaska said:
Not a favourite of mine but it could be worse.

A few times a particular use of the word has struck a nerve -such as a doctor/nurse saying something such as "the diabetic over there" within earshot
Click to expand...

Awwwe, that's quite awful i haven't had anything like that, but i could imagine myself being quite angry! :evil:
 
I have Diabetes ......I am a Diabetic. Matters not a jot to me if someone uses those terms. I have been called far worse in my time ..... :wink:
 
cugila said:
I have Diabetes ......I am a Diabetic. Matters not a jot to me if someone uses those terms. I have been called far worse in my time ..... :wink:
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I feel the same, or rather I don't feel it at all as It just doesn't enter my mind.
 
Hmmm, I understand the dislike, being diabetic labels the illness/disease as the key factor, whereas saying you have diabetes is acknowledging you first then mentioning the illness. I don't like any labels at all i'm a person not a genre, illness, etc
 
I don't think I have ever had anybody label me as 'having diabetes' or being 'diabetic'...I tell people I know the way I want them to know about me, but as far as I am aware nobody has ever labelled me....
 
It's a bit like being called a victim as opposed to a survivor I suppose.
I personally couldn't care less, I have been called worse.
 
ebony321 said:
I was talking about it with my friend who has epilepsy, she doesn't like being labelled epileptic as she described it as it feels that makes it sound like her epilepsy has her, not her having epilepsy.
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I like that. I really hope my Diabetes doesn't have me yet!
 
There has been a general shift in this direction from a lot of organisations to move away from using blanket nouns like ' diabetic' and instead saying a diabetic person or a person with diabetes. I think it's a general drift from other areas such as not saying 'blacks' or 'whites' or 'gays' etc., i.e. not limiting your description of someone to one single characteristic.

Some people (Daily Mailites usually) would consider this 'PC gone mad' but there's real power in the labels and words used to describe (minority) groups, not least of which is characterised by the incorrect view of T1 as real diabetes and T2 as not (not my view, I hasten to add). There's an excellent book by Deborah Cameron (no relation to Dave) called Verbal Hygiene that has a good chapter on political correctness and why it isn't mad.

I would say I'm broadly in favour of using the terms person with diabetes etc, but don't probably mind if someone calls me a diabetic, especially as the alternatives can feel a bit clunky in some contexts.
 
alaska said:
Not a favourite of mine but it could be worse.

A few times a particular use of the word has struck a nerve -such as a doctor/nurse saying something such as "the diabetic over there" within earshot
Click to expand...

I overheard myself being described as " possible cancer, awaiting tests in bed 5". I think it is a common practice in general hospitals to describe the person's condition rather than to acknowledge them as a person.
 
When appropriate, I tell people that I have Diabetes, T2, BUT I do have non diabetic blood glucose levels. People then usually ask if I am on insulin or tablets.
I am not on anything. Food choices.
Why do I say this? I guess I don't want people to feel sorry for me or for people to think that life is going to be restricted or complicated for me. Life most certainly isn't restrictive and I am doing all I can to ensure that I will live a long and fun filled life.
Yes, I hate the term diabetic to describe me as I have a picture of a person who struggles with their health from before my days of being diagnosed.
 
clearviews said:
When appropriate, I tell people that I have Diabetes, T2, BUT I do have non diabetic blood glucose levels. People then usually ask if I am on insulin or tablets.
I am not on anything. Food choices.
Click to expand...

I dont advertise that I am diabetic but Ive never hidden from it and I have no problem telling people that I am diabetic if it comes up in conversation, I dont feel the need to tell them what my bg levels are though as I rather think that the average man/woman in the street would not have the slightest idea of what I was talking about if I did.

What do people say when you tell them you have non diabetic bg levels, are they even aware of what bg levels should be? When I tell people I am diabetic I am usually told something along the lines of "Oh I know someone who is diabetic and their fine, its nothing to worry about" :lol:

I see no point in trying to educate people who have no real interest in diabetes just as I didnt before I was diagnosed.
 
Sid Bonkers said:
What do people say when you tell them you have non diabetic bg levels, are they even aware of what bg levels should be?
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Non diabetics probably do not know what bg levels should be but they do understand the meaning of non diabetic bgs when I talk to them.
 
I wear it like a badge with pride.

It's a part of who I am, it influences how I lead my life, in an entirely positive way (eating and exercise). It doesn't disable or disadvantage me in anyway. I don't know why I should be ashamed of it or hide it.
 
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