Thousands of people have signed a counter-petition to keep a pub’s “offensive” name after a rebrand was announced.
The Midget, a Greene King pub in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, was first subject of a petition signed by more than 1,300 people calling on the brewery franchise to “recognise the offence of the term and its implications” of the pub’s name.
The name comes from the iconic MG car which was built in the car company’s former factory in Abingdon.
Last week, Greene King said it would rename the pub The Roaring Raindrop in tribute to the last ever land speed record-breaking car produced by MG.
But some locals have objected with more than 2,800 people signing a counter-petition calling on the brewery to reverse the plans to rebrand.
This has been a weird case for the euphemism treadmill. The word is not meaningfully distinct from “dwarf” in tone, context, or common use. This push might be even sillier than people trying to taboo the word “crazy,” as if the suggested alternatives won’t go the exact same way, for the exact same reasons.
Not sure I can agree with your logic.
This is about the use of the word. More then its meaning.
Is it really reasonable to name a pub or car after a person based on there physical abnormality no mater what term we consider acceptable.
Your interpretation would suggest naming the car the little person would be accpetable today. But in the future would be offensive.
Honestly can you really claim the name littlebperson is ever an appropriate way to name a model of car or pub?
… yes. Especially if it’s some cutesy diminutive in a romance language.
Would you have us remove all commercial uses of the word “giant?”
So your original comment about asking people suffering from the condition was crap.
Because the term little people was one requested by themselves. As early as the 1980. As a way to avoid the lack of respect post a time when midget and dwarf in circus freak shows was their only available employment.
You really care nothing for how anyone feels. Other than your loss of the ability to belittle other?
Wrong person. Scroll up.
I ask you again: does this rationale apply to other physical traits? No more “mute button,” no more “window blinds?” You could argue those are the accepted terms for certain handicaps, but said it doesn’t matter what term we consider acceptable.
As a blind person.
It is a description of a condition not a belittling of it.
And while the UK government has rejected the term. It was not our community that objected.
Midgit is.
Stop trying to ease your own desire to be an arsehole. Youe answers make it clear you only care about your own use of language and gove fick all concern for the feelings of those that object to the use.
Everything about your statments is nothing but gaslighting and bullying those not lake you.
So fuck off ill just block you.
Again: you are replying to the wrong person.
I am not the one who said the things you’re ranting about.
Check usernames, dingus.
sorry blind (visually impaired) does make it hard.
PS, Let’s not be too surprised that a discussion like this. About a long term insult to disabled community members. Brings disabled people to argue against your statement.
The one unique point you raised, I’d like to address.
cutesy diminutive in a romance language.
First of, What does romance language have to do with anything. The term comes from the French for from Rome and is not related to its actual quality or friendliness to lovers.
But you are far from alone in misunderstanding that name. Romance languages can be as insulting and based around a history of human arsehole ness as any other. Heck, given Rome’s rather negative history to any culture differed to them. Some could argue it originated it as a way off life.
And your latest (non I miss replied) comment.
The word blind was not first used to describe vision. It was first used to describe bocking views for privacy, Again derived from the French. Then used for horse sight limitation and windows.
Our visual limitations are named after the tool not the other way around. Hence the community has no issue with blind being an insult. (we do find the fact everyone seems to assume it means zero vision annoying. But not offensive. Hence, the UK government move to visual impaired etc )
Giant and dwarf are similar. But opposite to your ideal expressed above. The terms come from myth and culture.
(most likely due to fossil finds and imagination. Small humanoid ancestors exist in the fossil record. And prehistoric bones, likely lead to many myths about giants and dragons in the less informed past.)
The idea of dwarfism and giantism as a condition was attached to people from that history. Not the other way around. But the community has reason not to consider being named after the fictional being flattering. Although my friend john really did not hate that one and would use it jokingly.
Midget, as you say, comes from romance languages. But you fail to recognise it actually comes from French circuses in the 1700s. As a description of a freak show member. And is very much linked to a number of disgusting abuses that were pretty much the only way these members of the disabled community were able to earn and feed themselves in our hostile past.
So when you name a car this. It is not cutesy. It is insulting to a whole community.
I spose it would be the equivelent of calling me a begger. Because you assume that is the only way I can live. As it was up till the early 1900s.
Then calling your new product beggar curtains rather than blackout. (yeah its a streach as others begged)
Has anyone actually asked a midget I’d they’re offended? Because if not, shut up.
There aren’t many around to ask.
What happened to them? Cancelled?
Improvement in medicine and diet.
People said the same shit about the word nigro. Without yaking into account the dificulty faced by any bullied person to accuse the bully.
Requiring the victim to openly tell you your an arsehole is some of the worst indications of a gaslighting sence of ideals.
The particular public house in question was named after a car. It would be quite the challenge to ask a car about their feelings anyway. Try not to get so triggered, your head might explode & that would be messy.
If you actually read my comment. You would realise the car was named after a person’s physical abnormality.
The car was an insult from the beginning.
I just re-read your comment about 5 times because I was afraid I’d had a stroke. It says nothing of the sort.
Sorry i assumed you were answering a different comment.
As you comment has no relevence to this one.
The fucking article points out the original complaint was also about the car being named after dwarfism. The pub was named after a record breaking car named after little people.
And my comment was you are ignoring the fact that people bullied should not be required to tell the bullies.
Its like saying its OK to hit people smaller then you because they are to scared to hit back.
How easy do you think it is to disagree when everyone around you thinks your acceptable to joke about.
Sorry, your grammar is really bad, it’s sort of hard to read & therefore hard to understand what you’re waffling on about. Bottom line, the pub wasn’t named after a person/people. I also care very little about your fake outrage or opinion. And no, those two things aren’t remotely the same thing. One is a joke, the other is assault. Bye.
Only because you find it insulting.
Actually no. My friend John did. Before he died in 1996. From complications related to what at the time was called dwarfism.
I’m guessing people found that term offensive too so it was changed yet again?
Literally yes? Hardly anyone else is even aware this is a slur.
Real fucking classy using the slur to say that no one cares it’s a slur. Is that how you act with pronouns?
Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Or is that not the pronoun she/it goes by? Birthgiver? Are you a vertically challenged person? If so if love to hear your opinion. If not butt out.
“Literally yes?” ??? I’m sorry, is that a question?
Pronouns?
Surely campaigns like this are simply run from Russian troll farms so that CHUDs can point of them as examples of “woke” overreaction.
Would this be a good time to mention that my uncle used to collect Midgets. He had three of them if I remember and even had one of them stretched.
I’ve reported this to the Police. A crime has been committed, I’m just not sure which one.
“You got a license for that uncle?”
Can we petition to stop Greene King? Their beer is fucking awful.
isnt it like 3.5 apv
It’s not the strength I object to, it’s the taste. I’m sure they put too much vinegar in their IPA, for example.
… is there a right amount, besides none?
Well, exactly. But their IPA certainly tastes like it has some vinegar in it.
The IPA market is dumb enough that I could not rule out being literal.
Nothing wrong with that.
haha… perfect for that mellow day drunk, younger folks just care to get tanked
That’s so stupid
Which bit?
Making a fuss about the name Midget because it’s offensive, if it’s already been named that for decades. Idk
Err.
Negro existed for 400 years or more.
Miget came from greak shows fron the 1700s.
Arsehole has a very long history. But you would still be offended it I called you it? And likely object to a pub called the puckered arseholes retreat.
Actually scratch that. Id likely drink there. But yeah my point stands.
Every ofensive thing has a long history. Progress is non exisrant if we dont evolve. And language is one of the things that evolves rapidly.
Its more about why the name exists amd the links it crate. then the age of its creation.
