NOAH AOC

I am 40 years old. Where was this sight when I was in school? This is awesome. When people ask, "What color are you"? Is it grammatically correct to say that you are a person with albinism or say that I am an albino? I think the latter makes it sound like a "freak" or something. wmail me and tell me what you'd say.

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Originally posted by Sharon Renee:
I am 40 years old. Where was this sight when I was in school? This is awesome. When people ask, "What color are you"? Is it grammatically correct to say that you are a person with albinism or say that I am an albino? I think the latter makes it sound like a "freak" or something. e mail me and tell me what you'd say.

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Either one is GRAMMATICALLY correct. The question is, which one is politically correct, or better than that, which one are YOU comfortable with.

My position: I don't mind being called an albino, as long as your intentions are not bad. If you MEAN to hurt me by it, it hurts; if you don't, it doesn't.

The majority position in NOAH, if my observation is correct: The term "albino" is dehumanizing, and should be restricted to use with animals. We are people first, who just happen to have a condition called albinism. Therefore, we should be called "persons with albinism."

(On the other side of the coin, we don't mind calling people who don't have albinism "pigmentos," becaue we are too lazy to say "persons without albinism." Is that really fair? )

So I always tell people that, although I don't mind the term albino, the majority do--some very passionately, and for their sake I teach the politically correct term "person with albinism."

There's no question that "albino" is easier to say and more likely to be understood. You just have to decide this one for yourself, hopefully taking into account the feelings of the broader albinism community.

Hope that helps,

Joan

I was going to copy my post into an email for you, per your request, but can't find your address. Sorry if I'm missing something.

My daughter has albinism and when people ask I say she has albinism and then (once they look at me confused) I say in other words, she is an albino. I don't really like albino because people usually responding by asking why she doesn't have red eyes.

Crystal

You have to understand that the word albino is the word prefered mostly by the majority of society. A lot of people just don't know the correct term for albino. I know for some people, it's just like calling a black person, a nigger. I know and understand how offensive it can be to some people.

I have been living with albinism for quite some time now and when I was coming up in the late 60's, that's all I knew. That's all that everyone around me have known. So I have come to terms, that's how you describe my condition or who I am.

I did not hear of the word albinism untill about 2002. I am still getting use to it. I don't get offended when someone calls me an albino because they may not simply know the correct term, just like I did, for quite some time.

Sincerely

The Missing Link

Life Is Like A Deck Of Cards, You Have To Deal With The Hand That's Delt To You!!!!!!

I agree with Joan. I don't care what people call me as long as the meaning behind it is sincere. As for the term "pigmento", I can't stand it. It sounds like a breathe mint. Besides a name is a name and it is just as wrong to call someone pigmento as it might be to call someone albino. Again it all depends on how you use the word in the context of conversation.
Carol

Sorry Carol,

I coined the word "pigmento" about 4 years ago in order to explain - in shorthand - what people without albinism could see. I have used the word in a number of presentations without bothering to explain its meaning. However, after a moment's hesitation, everyone in the room understands what I mean and giggles loudly.

I am delighted to report that most Albis find the word extremely funny and often use it on their friends and enemies without warning. The word has yet to make it into Webster's but I shall keep trying.

Cheers,

Non Pigmento Brian

Hi all,
Different strokes for different folks. I think we all use the terminology that we are most comfortable with and have grown up with.
You never know who you are going to offend at times. I offended a listener when I presented my first "Teaching Reading to Children with Albinism". I was explaining reversals to parents. I got to the letters p and q. I had examples of each letter with it's corresponding sound, example for b and d you teach first the bat and then the ball - d is first the drum and then the drumstick etc. I got to p and q and had difficulty thinking of something to go with it so I said first the quarter and then the Chinamen's que (sorry not sure of spelling). I felt quite pleased with myself coming up with that example, both had the q sound. There was a Chineese family in the group and they took offense that I used the example of the Chinamen's q. They said I should have used the example of a spoon. I appologized to them for offending them and tried to explain why I was using that sound but they still thought I should have used the example of a spoon. Moral of the sotry you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time. So albeno, albino, pigmento, pamento (haha) what's the difference among friends.

[This message was edited by Margaret Mary Campbell on August 29, 2006 at 07:28 PM.]

I can understand the different strokes for different folks thing but when it comes to choosing a word that begins with a certain letter, I also believe that you could have picked better words.

As far as the word pigmento, I think that it should be put in the webster's dictionary because you have albino and albinism already in there.

The word pigmento should simply mean a person that does not have albinism or a person without albinism.

Sincerely

The Missing Link

Life Is Like A Deck Of Cards, You Have To Deal With The Hand That's Delt To You!!!!!!

Brian,
Thank yuo. I know you meant no harm with the word "pigmento". I was just adding my two cents to the conversation. I still think it sounds like a breathe mint though.

Pigmento sounds like a breath mint, I don't think so. It sound more like some sort of a bean.

I know that there are pinto beans out so there is a much more closer resimblance.

Sincerely

The Missing Link

Life Is Like A Deck Of Cards, You Have To Deal With The Hand That's Delt To You!!!!!!

In my opinion, what you prefer to be called is a very personal thing. To be honest, the words 'albino' or 'albinism' don't appear very often in people's vocabulary so it's no wonder that there meaning gets confused. Most people seem to know what an albino is but don't know the name of the actual condition (albinism) which to my mind is a bit odd. It all comes down to education though as when I tell people that I have albinism they don't associate that with visual impairment, social stigma or genetics. The usual question which I'm sure that most of us have had put to us is, 'I thought albino's had pink eyes'. 'No, I think you're thinking of white rabbits'I reply.

Personally, I find the term 'albino' offensive as it applies inferiority or abnormality (a kind of freakshow curiousity). It's not even a pleasant sounding word. The pronounciation's also different depending on where you're from. Whereas I say 'al-been-oh' people from the US usually say 'alb-eye-noh'. Having this condition doesn't make me the person that I am although it is a part of me. But people have to find some sort of label for you don't they? Years ago people with cerebal palsy used to be referred to as 'spastics', even within the medical professions so the terminology changes over time. To be honest though, most people don't even realise that I have albinism so it's not a topic that comes up very often which is the way I like it to be. I will explain to people if they ask politely.

Why as people with albinism should be have to constantly justify ourselves or take on the role of educators to society? That's what family and the schools should be doing, teaching tolerance and acceptance. Feel free to disagree with me but I consider albinism to be a disability due to the social, emotional and physical restrictions it places upon you within society, e.g. not being able to drive, having extra help at school and looking physically different. I've noticed that these restrictions tend to vary though depending upon where you live in the world. I would love to try biopic driving so much!!

To me, when it comes to disability issues and identity, political correctness is a good thing.

I'm sorry if I come across as negative or snooty. This kind of thing is all objective and it's only my opinion.

Rosalba x

HELLO TO ALL. I SOMETIMES SEE MYSELF AS AN EDUCATOR - AND I CALL MYSELF ALBINO MAN THE WORD DO NOT GET TO ME AS IT DOES SOME. I AM 42 YEARS OLD AND IF I GET THIS WRONG PLEASE UNDERSTAND BUT WHEN I WAS LITTLE I HEARD IF NOT ME THAN WHO AND IF NOT NOW THEN WHEN.THE WORLD HAS TO START LEARNING SOMETIME SO IF I HAVE TO ANSER A FEW QUESTIONS NOW SO MY LITTLE ONE DOES NOT THAN START WITH ME ALBINO MAN

Hi all!

I don't mind whether people call me albino or person with albinism for I agree with write on that it depends on the intention behind it. I even use the term albino myself, it rolls easier off the tongue.

I also don't make a difference between humans and animals - to me it's all the same, we are animals who learned to use tools, high-level communication and think that just a big brain (often with nothing in it) and opposing thumbs make us crown of creation...

Besides that: mankind to me is one big cosmic "freak show curiosity", think of what grand deeds we could achieve without pumping all our resources, manpower, whatever into wars or gathering even more money when we're already billionaire...

As for "pigmento" - rofl, that sounds like an X-Men hero (like Magneto or so)

I also agree with Rosalba, we should not have to play the role of teacher - school teachers should do it. That's another thing what mankind has to change: realize how important the right kind of education is.

I know I sound idealistic and that, as a single person, I can't really change anything but that's how I see the world and I won't change this world perception for anything.

Greetings to all of you and have a nice day,
Grey