[nomis]

This word GIMP seems to be popular among some SCI people to refer to themselves. It's not one I've encountered before joining this forum but then I'm hardly riding the wave of current fashionable language.

So, what's the attraction of this word which already is shared with many other meanings the most common currently being GNU Image Manipulation Program, a freeware graphics editing program.

Or, if you're part of the sadomasochism crowd you'd know it was a usually derogatory term used to refer to a (male or female) sexual submissive person, typically dressed in black leather (or rubber), often in a gimp suit, and wearing a bondage hood or mask.

If you're from East Brunswick, New Jersey, you might recall it was the name of a punk band.

Or, as a computer gamer you'd know a gimp is a character or ability that is underpowered in the context of the game.

The dominant meaning seems to be a matter of depowerment, of weakness and submissiveness.

Gimp is a derogative term and as such I find offensive. Why are some SCI people putting themselves down in this way? Is it a feeble attempt at humour to hide embarrassment of being spinal injured?

Find me a four-letter word that neatly and cheekily describes a SCI person and I'll willingly use it. But gimp is not that word. It sucks.

This post has been edited by nomis: 02 April 2008 - 10:42 PM

[Liberty]

One persons humor is anothers outrage I guess. There are alot of words that can be misunderstood or taken out of context.

In the game of golf or bowling, why is the word handicaped used? Offensive? accourse not.

I'm old enough to remember the word gay meant being happy , and or, feeling good.

In the old country the word fag is in reference to a cigarette.

So on and so forth.

I see the word gimp for it's humor, not the outrage.

[E-DOG]

Liberty, on Apr 2 2008, 05:28 PM, said:

One persons humor is anothers outrage I guess. There are alot of words that can be misunderstood or taken out of context.

In the game of golf or bowling, why is the word handicaped used? Offensive? accourse not.

I'm old enough to remember the word gay meant being happy , and or, feeling good.

In the old country the word fag is in reference to a cigarette.

So on and so forth.

I see the word gimp for it's humor, not the outrage.

Then it's OK to be a gay gimp with a fag in his mouth?
E

[longhaul]

nomis here on the west coast of the U.S. the term gimp is used by working people to mean hurt. When I worked in the woods and someone missed work because of an injury they were said to be "gimped up". When I started using it 30 years ago I was permanently injured and was not going to get better so I used the term gimp instead of handicapped or disabled. I have never heard of any of the other things that gimp is used for, sorry if I offended you by using the term it wasn't meant to offend anyone. Later

This post has been edited by longhaul: 03 April 2008 - 06:19 AM

[nomis]

longhaul, on Apr 3 2008, 07:16 PM, said:

nomis here on the west coast of the U.S. the term gimp is used by working people to mean hurt. When I worked in the woods and someone missed work because of an injury they were said to be "gimped up". When I started using it 30 years ago I was permanently injured and was not going to get better so I used the term gimp instead of handicapped or disabled. I have never heard of any of the other things that gimp is used for, sorry if I offended you by using the term it wasn't meant to offend anyone. Later

Never offended, just entertained. I'm more curious about the word rather than take up arms and begin WWIII. So, it's interesting how you use the word.

[silone74]

LMAO great reply E-dog, the word gimp that i know is for a sex thing like wearing a gimp suit and mask LOL like in bring out the gimp in the film pulp fiction where the gimp has his way wi the big black dude.

I am sure thats not the case with you LOL.



Silone74

[rosebud]

Nomis...

Language can be endlessly entertaining. Especially when conversing with others who have different dialects... The first time a British friend asked if he could 'knock me up' I almost ran for the hills...until I found out he meant to give me a call...here it means to get preggers...but he could certainly have given me a buzz... See what I mean? Sometimes it's amazing that we can understand each other just a little bit!

[carole338]

Just what I needed early in the AM. An education and a good laugh. I think I’ll do a spot of tea and Hoover my rugs.

Carole

[DaveP]

"Gimpy" (pronounced Jim-pee) is British army slang for a type of machine gun GPMG...

[Joed]

Interesting. I don't find the words 'gimp' or 'gimpy' offensive in the least. Yet I wouldn't be particularly pleased if someone who didn't know me well used it in reference to me.

Many years ago I wrote a letter to Shriner's Hospitals concerning their huge sign on the highway in front of their buildings: SHRINER'S HOSPITAL FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN, asking them to consider using another word. Even at a young age I was keenly aware that this term had a negative connotation to it.

I was surprised at their reply, which went something like this: By definition, the children we treat at Shriner's are , in fact, crippled. So I looked it up (yeah I know...novel idea, huh?) and I'll be hanged if they weren't right. The dictionary didn't reflect the negative slant that society had placed on that word.

Anyway, years later, Shriner's did change their sign and removed the word 'crippled'.

Likewise, I suppose a word could have a negative definition, yet it might be used in a non-negative context in some societies/regions.

I don't know, I've only known one meaning for the word 'gimpy' and that is someone who limps or is hurt. This has been an education for me today.

[nomis]

It may be that "gimp" has so many different meanings that it will never stick for any one of them in a significant way - that'll keep me happy.

I will use the word if I find the appropriate place where it will have impact - like deliberately creating confusion when it could mean rubber suited sex slave and/or person with a limp.

Interesting, Joed, that you mention "cripple" because they are similar. Now that cripple is widely disapproved of and tutt tutted it has grown in shock value. It can be very powerful like: Niggers and cripples use the backdoor.

And while it's ridiculous and incorrect to call a person a cripple (when only their limbs are crippled), there has been a price to pay for it's current unpopularity. We had an organisation here called the Crippled Children's Society. They changed it to CCS. Now no one can remember what it's called or mistake it for CCF which is a Christian organisation. They used to raise heaps of money because people freely gave to the "crippled children" but now they struggle for donations.

If "gimp" disappears, we have no other significant use for it. As a word I find it limp. But that may be a generation thing. It may gain enough acceptance through computer gamers to also become entrenched to mean a spinal chord injured lady or gentleman who does not necessarily dress in a leather or rubber suit and mask.

[Hotrodgimp]

[quote name='E-DOG' date='Apr 3 2008, 12:36 AM' post='56214']
[quote name='Liberty' post='56201' date='Apr 2 2008, 05:28 PM']
One persons humor is anothers outrage I guess. There are alot of words that can be misunderstood or taken out of context.

In the game of golf or bowling, why is the word handicaped used? Offensive? accourse not.

I'm old enough to remember the word gay meant being happy , and or, feeling good.

In the old country the word fag is in reference to a cigarette.

So on and so forth.

I see the word gimp for it's humor, not the outrage.
[/quote]
Then it's OK to be a gay gimp with a fag in his mouth?
E
Awesome reply E-DOG,I'm still laughing. When I first became disabled I was pissed off at the world, out of work and not able to do the things I used to and I used to use the screen name "disabledandbored". Over time coming to terms with everything I found humor as a good way to deal with my condition. My family and friends know this and even my son has referred to me as Forrest Gimp (uncoordinated is as uncoordinated does). My passion is hotrods and customizing cars or anything else is sometimes referred to as pimping it out. I have done a couple of hotrods ,golfcarts,and am in the process of flaming and pinstriping my new lawn tractor. Everyone now calls me gimp the pimp and I have recently adopted the new screen name "hotrodgimp". Oh and just for the record, no I'm not into the kinky black leather stuff.

[E-DOG]

Oh and just for the record, no I'm not into the kinky black leather stuff.
[/quote]

Shame, Damn shame.
Just thought maybe we could............
E-dog, most definitely