Talk:Handicap

Explanation of changes (definition meaning disability):

I moved the usage meaning "disability" to the top, because it's the most common.

I removed the references to the words "cripple" and "retard" because they have nothing to do with porn!This article as a diambiguation page (it seems to be someone's POV, to equate the word "handicapped" with terms normally considered much more derogatory).

I removed "partially disabled or unable to us a limb or limbs." I don't know why anyone is defining it as a partial disability, or referring specifically to limbs, since the term can refer to any disability.

It was linked twice to the disability article, so I removed one of the links.

I changed "The use of this term is considered offensive" to "some people consider the use of this term to be offensive." There is a difference between "retard," which is used deliberately as an offensive term, and "handicapped," which is not used deliberately in an offensive fashion. The idea that it might be offensive is based purely on some people's theoretical framework, on conclusions they have drawn about the term's "meaning." Not everyone accepts these conclusions. I consider the term "mentally handicapped" to be completely neutral, and preferable to what seems to be continual euphemizing: "special needs," "developmentally disabled," "mentally challenged," and so on. If a person understands my meaning, they will not be offended; if they "are offended" (sometimes a passive euphemism for "react"), I believe it likely stems from either their pre-judgement of me or their power needs. However, I have found that it is not so much people with disabilities themselves who react to the term, but rather their more politically-charged "advocates." I think these people should try to develop a greater tolerance for different peoples' use of language, rather than trying to get others to conform to their ideology.24.64.223.203 11:23, 26 November 2005 (UTC)


 * Overall, you've vastly improved this page. Well done. I disagree that the disability definition is used anywhere near as often as the sporting meanings, but agree it can be first as it's (now) much shorter and simpler. --Scott Davis Talk 14:06, 26 November 2005 (UTC)

Adding Comment
I was informed by a disabled person that handicapped was derogatory because it comes from disabled people in older days that had their caps at the ready in order to beg for change (Handy Capped). I never quite bought this but have been trying to use disabled instead of handicapped just to be safe.

Jon —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.131.196.180 (talk) 07:11, 20 September 2007 (UTC)


 * Holy crap.. Lest someone mistakenly visit a talk page, expecting to read some truth and hence be confused reading this gentleman's comment and mistaking the writer for someone who knows what they're talking about, I'd just like to point out the above explanation for the word "handicap" is complete bollocks. handicap has meant "to place at a disadvantage" for a long long time. According to Merriam Webster, the etymology is "Etymology  obsolete English handicap, a game in which forfeit money was held in a cap, from hand in cap", which obviously has nothing at all to do with being "Handy with a cap" or even related to the disabled. Certain individuals may have a negative connotation with the use of the term, which happens merely due to the words close association with 1960's era community welfare practices, but that is an individuals choice to associate negativity with the word, not the words fault at all.--Jeff (talk) 02:29, 11 June 2008 (UTC)

I am a non-native English speaker and have a "handicap" myself - can you please tell me wether the word really is offensive, and if so, what term I should use? I read about that problem on the Talk:Helen Keller page but didn't find it elsewhere, I also looked in dictionarys and in wiktionary... you confused me :) 89.204.153.73 (talk) 12:47, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

Hand-in-cap
I started an article about the original "game", please feel free to edit and expand hand-in-cap. Roger (talk) 11:36, 16 September 2010 (UTC)

Move discussion in progress
There is a move discussion in progress on Talk:Disability which affects this page. Please participate on that page and not in this talk page section. Thank you. —RMCD bot 22:44, 11 May 2017 (UTC)