In medicine, the adjective spastic refers to an alteration in muscle tone affected by the medical condition spasticity, which is a well-known symptomatic phenomenon seen in patients with a wide range of central neurological disorders, including spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy (for example, spastic diplegia), stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), [1] as well as conditions such as "spastic colon." The word is derived via Latin from the Greek spastikos ("drawing in", "tugging" or "shaking uncontrollably").
Colloquially, the noun spastic, originally a medical term, is now pejorative; though severity of this differs between the United States and the United Kingdom. Disabled people in the United Kingdom often consider "spastic" to be one of the most offensive terms related to disability. [2] [3]
The medical term "spastic" came into use to describe cerebral palsy. [4] The Scottish Council for the Care of Spastics was founded in 1946, and the Spastics Society, an English charity for people with cerebral palsy, was founded in 1951. However, the word began to be used as an insult and became a term of abuse used to imply stupidity or physical ineptness: a person who is uncoordinated or incompetent, or a fool. [5] It was often colloquially abbreviated to shorter forms such as 'spaz'.
Although the word has a much longer history, its derogatory use grew considerably in the 1980s and this is sometimes attributed to the BBC children's TV show Blue Peter ; [6] during the International Year of Disabled Persons (1981), several episodes of Blue Peter featured a man named Joey Deacon with cerebral palsy, who was described as a "spastic". Phrases such as "joey", "deacon", and "spaz" became widely used insults amongst children at that time. [7]
In 1994, the same year that Conservative MP Terry Dicks referred to himself in a House of Commons debate as "a spastic with cerebral palsy", [8] the Spastics Society changed its name to Scope. The word has been deemed unacceptable to use outside of specific medical contexts, [9] thus reducing stigmatisation of the condition. [6] Some UK schoolchildren adopted a derogatory adaptation of the Spastic Society's new name, "scoper". [10] [11] The current understanding of the word is well-illustrated by a BBC survey in 2003, which found that "spastic" was the second most offensive term in the UK relating to anyone with a disability. (The word "retard" was deemed most offensive in the US and other countries). [3] In 2007, Lynne Murphy, a linguist at the University of Sussex, described the term as being "one of the most taboo insults to a British ear". [2]
The video game Mario Party 8 features a scene of the board Shy Guy's Perplex Express where the character Kamek casts a spell to switch train cars, being "Magikoopa magic! Turn the train spastic! Make this ticket tragic!" Because of this, Mario Party 8 was recalled in the UK but was rereleased, replacing spastic with erratic. [12]
In American slang, the term 'spaz' has evolved from a derogatory description of people with disabilities, and is generally understood as a casual word for clumsiness, otherness, sometimes associated with overexcitability, excessive startle response ("jumpiness"), excessive energy, involuntary or random movement, or hyperactivity. Some of these associations use the symptoms of cerebral palsy and other related disabilities as insults.
Its usage has been documented as far back as the mid-1950s. [13] In 1965, film critic Pauline Kael, hypothesised that, "The term that American teenagers now use as the opposite of 'tough' is 'spaz'."
Benjamin Zimmer, editor for American dictionaries at Oxford University Press, and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Research in Cognitive Sciences, writes that by the mid-1960s the American usage of the term 'spaz' shifted from "its original sense of 'spastic or physically uncoordinated person' to something more like 'nerdy, weird, or uncool person'", all with a negative sense. [14] In a June 2005 newsletter for American Dialect Society, Zimmer reports that the "earliest [written] occurrence of uncoordinated 'spaz' he could find" is in The Elastik Band's 1967 "undeniably tasteless, garage-rock single" – "Spazz". [15] Although this is out-of-sync with terms such as "spazzing out" that directly mock or relate to physical disability.
Later in 1978, Steve Martin introduced a character Charles Knerlman, a.k.a. "Chaz the Spaz" on Saturday Night Live , in a skit with Bill Murray called "Nerds". Bill Murray later starred in the movie Meatballs , which had a character named "Spaz". [16] Both shows portrayed a "spaz" as a nerd or with potential cognitive or learning disabilities in a comic setting, reinforcing the more casual negative use of the term in the United States by using it in a popular comedy. [13]
The term still occasionally appears in North American movies or TV series, such as Friends , as a pejorative word which reflects a certain degree of casual ableism. As such, it receives a different reaction from British and American audiences. In one episode, Rachel refers to herself as a "laundry spaz" due to her inability to competently do the laundry; this relates to the original meaning about physical ability. This comment was deemed offensive enough by the British Board of Film Classification to give the episode a 12 rating. Other episodes in the series are rated a step lower as PG. [17] Similarly, Rugrats: Tales from the Crib: Snow White got a PG rating based on Angelica calling Kimi "Spazzy". [18]
The difference in qualitative assessment of the term between British and American audiences is demonstrated by reactions to comments by golfer Tiger Woods after losing the US Masters Tournament in 2006. He said, "I was so in control from tee to green, the best I've played for years ... But as soon as I got on the green I was a spaz." His remarks were broadcast and drew no known public attention in the United States. But they were widely reported in the United Kingdom, where they caused offence and were condemned by a representative of Scope and Tanni Grey-Thompson, a prominent paralympian. On learning of the furor over his comments, Woods' representative promptly apologized. [19] [20]
Shortly after Weird Al Yankovic's song "Word Crimes" (2014) was released, Yankovic said that he had been unaware that the word "spastic" as used in the song is "considered a highly offensive slur by some people", particularly in the United Kingdom. He apologized for having it in his lyrics. [21]
Lizzo's 2022 song "Grrrls" included the word "spaz". The song was criticized and the singer was asked to remove this content (classified as expressing an ableist slur) from the lyrics. [22] After the backlash, Lizzo posted her stance against derogatory language; she has since announced a new version of "Grrrls" with new lyrics. [23] [24] Similarly, Beyoncé's 2022 song "Heated" from her seventh studio album Renaissance included the word. It was strongly criticized and the word was eventually removed from the song. [25]
In Australian English, for some time, terms such as "spastic" and "crippled" were considered the proper words to describe persons with various disabilities and even appeared on traffic signs warning drivers of such persons near the road. More recently, these terms have fallen out of use and replaced with the more socially acceptable and generic "disabled". The word "spastic" became so negatively loaded that The Spastic Society of Victoria had to change its name to Scope. [26]
Multiple products in the United States have names including the word 'spaz'.
Controversy arises if products are sold in the UK under the same name. In particular the manufacturers and importers of the Spazz wheelchair were criticised by the British charity Scope when they put the wheelchair on sale in the UK. [27] Scope expressed a fear that such a brand would spur use of the word again as an insult. Such negative usage had declined since the 1980s. [28]
A caffeinated lip balm created by a police officer is called "SpazzStick." [29]
The Transformers Power Core Combiners line of robot toys was to include a character named "Spastic". Hasbro, the makers of Transformers, said that it would not release "Spastic" in the UK. This did not stop vocal British fans from alerting various news outlets, eventually resulting in the name being changed for all markets to the less-offensive "Over-Run". The online biography for another Transformer, Strafe, originally described him as "spastic", but was changed to "twitchy" when controversy erupted.[ citation needed ]
On 29 June 2007, Ubisoft of France pulled one of their games called Mind Quiz: Your Brain Coach , for referring to players who did not perform well at the game as "Super Spastic". The company stated "As soon as we were made aware of the issue we stopped distribution of the product and are now working with retailers to pull the game off the market." [30] One month later, Nintendo recalled Mario Party 8 because the term was used in in-game dialogue. [31]
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sensation, vision, hearing, and speech. Often, babies with cerebral palsy do not roll over, sit, crawl or walk as early as other children. Other symptoms include seizures and problems with thinking or reasoning. While symptoms may get more noticeable over the first years of life, underlying problems do not worsen over time.
Scope is a disability charity in England and Wales that campaigns to change negative attitudes about disability, provides direct services, and educates the public. The organisation was founded in 1952 by a group of parents and social workers who wanted to ensure that their disabled children had the right to a decent education. Originally focused on cerebral palsy, Scope now embraces all conditions and impairment. Scope subscribes to the social model of disability rather than the medical model of disability – that a person is disabled by the barriers placed in front of them by society, not because of their condition or impairment.
Spastic diplegia is a form of cerebral palsy (CP) that is a chronic neuromuscular condition of hypertonia and spasticity—manifested as an especially high and constant "tightness" or "stiffness"—in the muscles of the lower extremities of the human body, usually those of the legs, hips and pelvis. Doctor William John Little's first recorded encounter with cerebral palsy is reported to have been among children who displayed signs of spastic diplegia.
"Spasticus Autisticus" is a song written by Ian Dury and co-written by Chaz Jankel, released both as a single and on Dury's second solo studio album Lord Upminster (1981).
ADAPT – Able Disabled All People Together is an Indian non-profit and non-governmental organization, working to help people with neuro-muscular and developmental disabilities. It was started on 2 October 1972 by Mithu Alur, to provide education and treatment services for the "spastics".
Over time, the approach to cerebral palsy management has shifted away from narrow attempts to fix individual physical problems – such as spasticity in a particular limb – to making such treatments part of a larger goal of maximizing the person's independence and community engagement. Much of childhood therapy is aimed at improving gait and walking. Approximately 60% of people with CP are able to walk independently or with aids at adulthood. However, the evidence base for the effectiveness of intervention programs reflecting the philosophy of independence has not yet caught up: effective interventions for body structures and functions have a strong evidence base, but evidence is lacking for effective interventions targeted toward participation, environment, or personal factors. There is also no good evidence to show that an intervention that is effective at the body-specific level will result in an improvement at the activity level, or vice versa. Although such cross-over benefit might happen, not enough high-quality studies have been done to demonstrate it.
Joseph John Deacon was a British author and television personality.
Cerebral Palsy Alliance is an Australian nonprofit organisation helping babies, children, teenagers and adults living with cerebral palsy and other neurological and physical disabilities. Its therapy teams work with individuals and families to maximise their participation in the community.
Spastic cerebral palsy is the type of cerebral palsy characterized by spasticity or high muscle tone often resulting in stiff, jerky movements. Cases of spastic CP are further classified according to the part or parts of the body that are most affected. Such classifications include spastic diplegia, spastic hemiplegia, spastic quadriplegia, and in cases of single limb involvement, spastic monoplegia.
Laurence Clark is a British stand-up comedian, writer, actor, presenter, and disability rights campaigner. Laurence was born with cerebral palsy and uses his line of work to alter the general public's perceptions of disabled people.
Mithu Alur is the founder chairperson of The Spastic Society of India – now rechristened ADAPT – Able Disable All People Together. She is an educator, disability rights activist, researcher, writer and published author on issues concerning people with disability in India.
Spastic Society of Gurgaon covers within its scope the programs on occupational therapy, counseling, vocational training and psychotherapy of the children with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability and multiple disabilities in Haryana, India. It is India's first non-profit disability sector organization which was awarded ISO certification by United Kingdom Accreditation Service: United Registrar of Systems for quality of services rendered by it. It also works in the field of imparting counseling and psychotherapy to the parents and guardians of the disabled children. Mass camps are conducted for welfare of children with disabilities. Multiple single window services like assistance in issuance of disability certificates, NIRAMAYA cashless insurance cards, medical check ups, distribution of medicines and medical aids are rendered to disabled people in such camps. Being sponsored by Haryana Government it undertakes disability audits of organizations for assessing accessibility compliance by them.
CP4 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy. In many sports, it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality. Compared lower number CP classes, they have fewer issues with head movement and trunk function. They tend to use wheelchairs on a daily basis though they may be ambulant with the use of assistive devices.
CP8 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy. In many sports, it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality.
Rosie Jones is a British comedian, writer and actress. After starting her career as a writer on panel shows, she went on to appear as a guest on The Last Leg, 8 Out of 10 Cats, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, QI and Hypothetical. She attended the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo as a roving reporter for The Last Leg.
Special is the fourth studio album by American rapper and singer Lizzo, released by Nice Life and Atlantic Records on July 15, 2022. It was preceded by the lead single "About Damn Time", released on April 14, 2022, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the top ten in twelve other countries.
Spastic can refer to:
"Heated" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. It is the eleventh track on her seventh studio album, Renaissance (2022), which was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood and Columbia.
Rosie Jones: Am I a R*tard? [sic] is a 2023 British documentary by the comedian Rosie Jones about online hate speech against disabled people. She reads messages written about her, which use slurs such as retard, and explores the emotional effect of harassment, the inaction by social media companies and the motivations behind people who send these messages.
CHRISTY BROWN is not strictly a spastic. But the word has now come to be used to cover all forms of cerebral palsy — the medical term for the effects produced by some types of brain maldevelopment or by brain injury at birth.
Oxford English Dictionary editor Robert W. Burchfield wrote in a note appended to the entry for spastic, the epithet "is generally condemned as a tasteless expression, and is not common in print."