Our linguistic lag on all things sex

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Our linguistic lag on all things sex
By Roland Sussex

Time to change the language we use about mental health

Time to change the language we use about mental health
The world has moved on since the days of ‘Bonkers Bruno’ headlines, but we still need to mind our language
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Sun+Bruno
The front page of the Sun on 23 September 2003 covering Frank Bruno’s depression – early and late editions. The first headline reads ‘Bonkers Bruno locked up’ in the later edition on the same day it reads ‘Sad Bruno in Mental Home’
It’s political correctness gone mentally unstable. That’s right, you can’t say anything these days – and here’s yet another article telling us what language we can and can’t use. Cue eye-rolls and tuts.

Actually, I want to share with you my own journey into madness. That is, mental health and language – and the advice available about how we strike a balance between the “political correctness gone mad” brigade and those who prefer to communicate with a little more consideration

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Redefining the refugee

Fairfax media reports that Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has sent a list of appropriate terminology for referring to refugee boat arrivals, including referring to the people as ‘illegal arrivals’ and ‘detainees’. How does changing terminology change how we think about something?