Frisbee team told to change "potentially offensive" name
MEMBERS of frisbee team Mental Discs have thrown a wobbly after being told to change their name because it might offend mental health patients.
Staffordshire University's ultimate frisbee club took the "fun, wacky nickname" when it was founded in 2002 and the Mental Discs logo is printed on its kit.
-
NAME THROWN OUT: Team member Jake Laslett. Picture: Cara Edgington
But officials from the Students' Union, which sponsors the 25-strong club, have now banned the word "mental" in the title and stopped members wearing branded kit until a new name and design is found.
They say the "potentially offensive" team name only came to their attention at a student fair last month.
The union is demanding it is changed to avoid distress to other students with mental health problems.
Student Union president Fiona Wood said: "Mental is a derogatory word in many contexts. As a union we have equal opportunities, a number of students do have issues in this area and it only takes one complaint and it would be out of hand. When the nickname went on the team's official papers this year alarm bells rang and we agreed the name was not suitable."
But team members say they never associated the word "mental" with mental health problems and never had any complaints even after playing other teams with physically and mentally disabled members.
Many are upset at being forced to buy a new shirt, costing about £16.
Team captain Lee Priest, a 20-year-old English literature student, of Shelton, said: "Mental Discs has been printed on our t-shirts for the past six years so we were amazed when the union requested we change it.
"All the other teams have wacky nicknames – Nottingham's team is called Random Fling – to attract people and reflect the fun nature of the sport.
"We've never had any complaints. We respect people's opinions if they think it could be offensive, but we don't think it is. It's a shame because we will lose our reputation now as people will not know who we are."
The union has offered to help the team with developing a new name, providing a student logo designer and print template.
Jane Haswell, assistant senior manger of Hanley-based mental health group Brighter Futures, said: "As an organisation that supports people with mental ill health we understand the level of stigma and negativity that surrounds it. But changing the name of a university frisbee team will have little impact on reducing that stigma."
The game involves two teams, of either five or seven people, using a netball-style 'pass and move' system to evade opponents while attempting to place a caught pass into the other side's endzone, as with American football.
33 Comments
View all
by Matt, Bankeyfields
Thursday, November 20 2008, 4:18PM
“I wouldn't mind if the ministry of PR accidentally leaked a list of words we aren't allowed to use.
Then again life is to short for this sort of OTT nonsense.”
by zrodfx, usa
Thursday, November 20 2008, 3:51AM
“The world has gone stark, raving MAD !!! What in God's name is wrong with you people. Have you gone MENTAL ?? Political Correctness will be the death of us all .”
by Jack, Untied States
Thursday, November 20 2008, 1:07AM
“Next you'll stop using words in an attempt to not offend illiterates.”
by Dave, Stoke
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 2:00PM
“John McKenzie, Hanley, the arguments are not "contrived", they are real. Language changes because society changes and words that were offensive become less os over time. The OED now contains words that would have been considered exceedingly offensive not too many years ago, but which are now in common parlance.
I once expressed view similar to yours to a social worker friend and she sid to me "language does not change society, society changes language"
Very astute and to be honest when you consider that, your efforts to denigrate somethin innocent that does not mean what you choose to believe it to mean may actually be damaging to your very worthy cause.
I think we should choose our battles carefully and this is not one worth having.”
by between, Commifornia
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 1:43PM
“"The union is demanding it is changed to avoid distress to other students with mental health problems." I assume the Union is referring to the Union's own distress.”
by Spencer, Stoke-on-Trent
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 1:04PM
“Also, people with mental health problems don't want labelling but by saying the team is offending people means we, as a society, are labelling them.”
by Spencer, Stoke-on-Trent
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 1:03PM
“Also, people with mental health problems don't want labelling but by saying the team is offending people means we, as a society, are labelling them.”
by Spencer, Stoke-on-Trent
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 1:01PM
“This is another example of a PC world gone mad! I understand how the word "mental" has negative definitions....but surely it depends purely on the context in which the word is used. I play for the team and we have NEVER discriminated against anyone because of their race, sex, disability, etc. We're a fun, open-minded group who just want to play ultimate.”
by Sam Deakins, Richmond, KY USA
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 10:38AM
“How about something completely different? Forinstance... The Team of People Who Throw Objects Into The Air and Potentially Catch These Objects Somewhere In Flight. With a font size of about 5 this name shud fit neatly on their discs and Tees.”
by John McKenzie, Hanley
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 10:32AM
“I work in the mental health field I am also a user of mental health services and I find the name Mental Discs offensive. The contrived arguments of why the name is OK or isn't offensive are quite insulting. It's not funny being mentally ill. There is a stigma attached to mental illness that is partly perpetuated by the use of offensive terms like mental, crazy, nutter etc. I have also looked up Mental in a dictionary one definition is "offensive slang mentally or psychologically disturbed". None of the definitions fitted in with the claims of those defending the name "Mental Discs". Many people are too frightened to tell family and close friends that they are mentally ill so they try to hide it or deny it. Offensive terminology contributes to the stigma of mental illness and this fear. Whether intended or not the name is offensive. It doesn't matter how many friends or relatives you have who are mentally ill and claim not to be offended. You will have played against people who have mental health problems and been watched by people who are mentally ill. They need to be confident and empowered to challenge you. Unfortunately mental illness disempowers you. You have been asked to take a small step in the fight against stigmatizing mental illness. Get used to the idea that being offensive to mentally ill people is not acceptable. Why don't you take the time to find out a bit more about mental illness. If you actually know what causes depression, the most common mental illness, it can help you avoid it in later life. About one in four people will have mental health problems on their life time it could be you. At that point you can decide whether the term "mental" is or isn't offensive to you. But you still won't be able to make that decision for others.”