Using ableist language as insults is always bad, even if the words seem innocuous. Some may reference the “euphemism treadmill” to try to justify their behavior, but it’s crucial to understand that the treadmill is merely a linguistic observation. It does not exist to normalize ableist behavior.
what is the euphemism treadmill for those who dont want to google
today i learned that ‘cretin’ has ableist origins. just hearing the word, and being completely unaware of its origins, i assumed it had racist origins and was somehow related to the isle of crete.
apparently ‘cretinism’ is an old-timey word for congenital iodine deficiency syndrome.
okay wow TIL too! i was just pulling from memory and a few online examples but i never dove into the specific histories of that particular word!