What's in a Name?
Jayne Huddleston
Every person who has epilepsy has experienced some form of discrimination. It may only be the peculiar look that comes your way when you tell someone you have epilepsy, but everyone with it is well aware of the stigma that accompanies the disorder. The mere word epilepsy has a negative connotation to many people. Some may think it's a mental disorder but, of course, they are wrong. Few people accept it as just another common ailment. If you have epilepsy, you have no choice but to use the word epilepsy to explain your condition, but there is some commonly used terminology that you don't have to use.
If you call yourself an "epileptic" you give those uninformed people more ammunition to assume that you are different than they are. You only confirm that you and others like you are something with which they are unfamiliar and separate from so-called "normal" people like them. Instead of identifying yourself as a person with a common disorder, you are identifying yourself as a thing — something that is different and distinct from all "ordinary" people. You were a person before you had epilepsy and you didn't cease to be a person when you developed epilepsy.
What is particularly appalling is when medical professionals, especially those who specialize in epilepsy, address people as "epileptics". Or, even worse, when the epilepsy associations who represent the people with epilepsy use the term "epileptic" to describe individuals. This is not only disrespectful, but it sets back the effort to combat the stigma. It is akin to calling a person with leprosy a leper.
Some people think that such selective terminology is nothing short of political correctness. However, there is nothing political about correcting something that is incorrect and demeaning. Epilepsy has an image problem and terminology is a good starting point to overcome it. Being seen as equal to everyone else begins with your self image. Others won't see you as equal if you don't see yourself that way. And the stigma and prejudice of epilepsy will never go away.
Others say that choosing terminology carefully is merely semantics. Maybe it is. But there may be nothing wrong with that. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines semantics as "the language used, in advertising or political propaganda, to achieve a desired effect on an audience, especially through the use of words with novel or dual meanings".
You can't expect respect from the outside world, if you address yourself with disrespect. If you call yourself something negative, others will believe you.
Remember there is no such thing as an epileptic. There are only people who happen to have epilepsy. And aside from that, they are no different from anyone else.
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