Vertically Challenged

I am very offended by the term "vertically challenged". You know what, it sounds very mean to those who are short, such as myself. It doesn't sound very nice at all. It sounds like there's something wrong with that person. Now you may say, challenged doesn't necessarily mean wrong, but when you say something such as "mentally challenged" or something of that such. There is something wrong with that person, isn't there? Exactly, my point. I really don't think it's very nice to say that. After all, couldn't I call tall people, "vertically excessive", and wouldn't that be offensive? My point is, using the term "vertically challenged" really is quite offensive to people who are short. So, why use it when you could just say short? I don't take offense to short. I only take offense to terms such as this, imp, midget, and other sorts.

It's really not your fault. It's because people have issues actually saying things like a "short person". People are just scared ****less of being politically incorrect. "Vertically Challenged" is the current detached, politically correct way of referring to a short dude.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNk_kzQCclo

^ watch that, and feel better that you aren't one of those retards.

Does anyone seriously say "vertically challenged?" I've never heard it, and I move in some of the most PC circles around.

The reason why people are saying "vertically challenged" is because people are getting offended when called "short" and people are afraid of offending.

George Carlin presents a perfect explanation for this:



EDIT- Radek beat me to it...coincidentally the exact same video. I guess he's a little more renowned than I had imagined.

*shrug* If people don't like being called short then I won't call them that, I was simply curious as I've never heard the term used seriously, just thrown around by people complaining about "PCism gone wild!!111" without any examples.

John, I live in Boulder, Colorado - also known as "White Rich People Who Play Golf and Talk Business on their Bluetooth Headsets" town. And I hear vertically challenged about once or twice every 50-60 days. The problem here is that the lingo doesn't go away, it just gets adopted more and more by other people.

---------- Post added at 08:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------

Jygg: ...he's George Carlin, man. George Carlin.

Originally Posted by Radek

"White Rich People Who Play Golf and Talk Business on their Bluetooth Headsets" town.

That sounds like an appealing place to live.

Honestly, on the flip side, I don't like it when people get offended by what I say to someone else. For example, my friends are all interracial. The group is a mix of white, black, hispanic, paki, and guyanese. We like to make fun of racism because discrimination is foolish. Three of us were stopping by Subway and were joking around as usual. This older white woman was offended at what I said to my friend and scolded me for it. She needs to mind her business. My friend made fun of her using his Indian accent. Not understanding half he said, her face was flushed and she stormed out of the store.

Originally Posted by John

*shrug* If people don't like being called short then I won't call them that, I was simply curious as I've never heard the term used seriously, just thrown around by people complaining about "PCism gone wild!!111" without any examples.

Maybe so, but this caught my eye:

Originally Posted by Oodles of Noodles

Now you may say, challenged doesn't necessarily mean wrong, but when you say something such as "mentally challenged" or something of that such.

See, calling someone "mentally challenged" isn't no better than saying they are stupid. There's really no right way to say anything about a group of people, someone will be offended.

and with the george carlin skit posted on here, I think there's no more to discuss in this thread.

To me 'short' would be more polite than 'vertically challenged' given that the latter implies that its also a problem.

Your height is your height. If you're short then you're short. No reason to get upset about people saying you're short.

Originally Posted by Solid Knight

Your height is your height. If you're short then you're short. No reason to get upset about people saying you're short.

Your weight is your weight. No reason to get upset about people saying you're fat.

People I know say it to joke around about themselves when they get called short. There is no right or wrong to it, as no one takes the term "Vertically challenged" seriously.

I make up euphemisms all the time to poke fun at myself and one or two have caught on. It's not like anyone is losing sleep over this kind of stuff; if you are losing sleep because of the term "Vertically challenged"... well really, it's not like you should be offended at words anyway, whatever happened to Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?

It's just some words people use to say short without saying short. No big deal.

^ What Pilaf said.

I only use 'vertically challenged' as a joke, and only to people that I know won't be offended by it. Including myself.

Originally Posted by Phenomiracle

Your weight is your weight. No reason to get upset about people saying you're fat.

You can lose weight. You can't change your height.





Although I admit this thread has me a bit confused. Are we discussing midgets, or just people who are short?


At any rate, it's totally asinine to call anybody "vertically challenged". What's wrong with saying short?

I mean, my entire family is short. We're like circus dwarves. Tiny, tiny people. But not a single one of us cares.

Originally Posted by Red

You can lose weight. You can't change your height.





Although I admit this thread has me a bit confused. Are we discussing midgets, or just people who are short?


At any rate, it's totally asinine to call anybody "vertically challenged". What's wrong with saying short?

I mean, my entire family is short. We're like circus dwarves. Tiny, tiny people. But not a single one of us cares.

We are not talking about midgets as I am not a midget.

Vertically Challenged works better with people who are afraid of heights, am I wrong?

Originally Posted by John

Does anyone seriously say "vertically challenged?" I've never heard it, and I move in some of the most PC circles around.

My sister calls herself vertically challenged. So did one of my friends in high school.

The short people are taking it back.

(I'm pretty sure its not meant to be an insulting term)

Wait a minute, vertically challenged is considered a politically correct way of saying? That's completely stupid, sounds like a slap on your face, simply "short" is perfect.

I'm not really short myself so I can't really tell anyway, but "vertically challenged" really sounds completely stupid.

To me vertically challenged is more offensive then being called short

Vertically challenged is technically a euphemism, though I reckon it is more offensive than just calling someone short. It's almost like rubbing into the short dude that fact that he is short. This is even more apparent to me since the term vertically challenged seems to be mostly used in comedic situations.

Makes me glad I'm not short.

Originally Posted by Red

You can lose weight. You can't change your height.

Not if you have glandular problems.