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"Handicapped"?

tjhook · 2023-10-25 23:47:20

Is the word "handicap" used any more in the context of a person's health? I have thought of the word "handicapped" as a dated pejorative term, replaced by the more acceptable "disabled". But recently I watched a video from a guy describing his own health. He describes himself as having a handicap rather than being…

26-10-2023 12:47AM

#1

tjhook

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Is the word "handicap" used any more in the context of a person's health?
I have thought of the word "handicapped" as a dated pejorative term, replaced by the more acceptable "disabled". But recently I watched a video from a guy describing his own health. He describes himself as having a handicap rather than being disabled. In his case, his condition makes it more difficult for him to do certain things (i.e. a handicap). It's not that his condition makes it impossible for him to do things (i.e. a disability).
I hadn't looked at it that way before. A handicap is potentially less severe than a disability. Obviously it's polite to refer to people the way they want to be referred to. But is the distinction between these two terms made in medical environments or anywhere else?

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