(Mental Health Support Grp) I asked for the following clarification re new "insensitivity" guideline

subject line: Could you please clarify whether new guideline for insensitivity covers persons with mental disorders



The term disability is somewhat nebulous regarding mental disorders. The ADA considers some mental disorders as disabilities and some not. So the coverage of the term disability can't be assumed to include stigmatizing language about mental disorders or persons with mental disorders.

The English speaking psych industry, both in NA and in the Commonwealth of Nations, recognizes insensitivity of language around mental disorders as a significant promotor of prejudice and serious consequent discrimination.

When a writer demeans one class of people using labels that reference as icons, models, or examples of what is bad, that writer manifests that he or she is better than the third class. This is foundational to the offensive, ergo insensitive, practice of ableism, in which ill people are stereotyped as being somehow less valuable and deserving of consideration than well people.

Such insensitivity underlies all bigotry which DU's new guideline seems to recognize for other categories named in the guidelines.

Because of such consequences the AP Style Guide states that references to mental disorder should only be used when actual mental disorders are discussed. Furthermore, use of language that infers a person in the news has a mental illness should only be made when a diagnosis has been suggested by a capable trained professional. The AP Style Guide is considered a standard of the communications industry.

Which is to say reasonable professionals believe insensitive language is harmful to it's targets (whose occurrence on DU is likely near the national average of 20-25 percent) and debasing of it's users.

Because there is ambiguity surrounding mental disorders as disabilities and ambiguity about terms of stigmatizing language as insensitive, if not harmful, I would appreciate a clarification.


Thank-you for your concern.

JM