I recently wrote an article for a diabetes publication, and the edited version came back with a comment saying the article had been altered in parts because it was not the publication’s editorial style to refer to people with diabetes as ‘diabetics’. I can’t argue with editorial style, but have to say I really feel like this is political correctness gone too far.

I remember the days in the 90s when all of this political correctness started to emerge. You couldn’t call someone short, you had to label them ‘height restricted’. You couldn’t use the word ‘brainstorm’ as it was hurtful to people with epilepsy. And lord help you if you called someone a diabetic. How VERY dare you.

I actually considered this when I was naming this blog, and gave it a moment’s thought then moved on. I have the condition known as diabetes, and happily call myself a diabetic. Does this mean I’ve instantly defined myself primarily as having diabetes? Crikey, I bloody hope not. I certainly hope I have a bit more going for me than to be remembered for that!

If I have to re-name a diabetic as a ‘person with diabetes’, does that mean I have to apply this across the board? It’s going to get pretty wordy out there if that’s the case…

Bookworm = ‘person who enjoys reading’

Foodie = ‘individual with a penchant for fancy eating’

Greenie = ‘environmentally focussed member of the community’

Wellingtonian = ‘person who resides in Wellington’

As far as I can see, going with the whole ‘person with diabetes’ approach just means we’ll all be employing longer sentences. At the end of the day it’s just semantics. And I’m sure us ‘pancreatically challenged’ people out there have been called worse things which have nothing to do with diabetes whatsoever.