Word: weinerth
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...vocabulary of mental illness, whether as a metaphor, a plot device or a put-down. "There is hardly a moment when we turn on television or read newspapers that we don't see violent stereotypes or hear bad jokes at the expense of the mentally ill," says Nora Weinerth, co-founder of the National Stigma Clearinghouse, which organizes protests against prejudicial images of mental illness in the media. "When children are told that a superhero will be killed by someone who is mentally ill, it stigmatizes us." Backed by research showing that mental illness is biological in origin -- like cancer...
With the help of the New York State Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Weinerth and New York City activist Jean Arnold set up the clearinghouse operation in January 1990. Its efforts reflect more than concerns over hurt feelings or political correctness. A stream of negative images, advocates argue, makes it harder for recovering patients to find work, obtain housing or participate fully in society. "We're not language police," concludes Arnold. "We don't expect the word crazy to disappear. But we're hoping for the day when these stereotypes are as unacceptable as racist and sexist remarks...
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