What’s the problem with “Wheels” exactly? At the time that was also a hip way to refer to a vehicle. It was probably the coolest name they could have given him in that cultural context. Should we have tip toed around the topic and never acknowledged his condition or what? People are so fucking strange and self righteous sometimes
I think it’s the fact that it’s making his whole identity about having a disability. But it’s an ad aimed at selling children fast food so I don’t know what people expect.
Or, it’s selling his “weakness” instead as “coolness”. I don’t think it’s disrespectful at all, especially when you consider that ad was made probably around 1989.
I can’t speak for people with disabilities as I don’t have that experience myself. I just know that when we had to take sensitivity training at work there was a big part about being careful with your language when you refer to people disabilities so that you aren’t identifying them solely as that. Like saying a person with a handicap vs. handicapped. This would be kind of the same thing. I don’t have an opinion on it personally and like you said it was the 90s, but I think that’s why the person in the Twitter was complaining about it.
Disclaimer: In no way do I endorse walking up to people and calling them things. ASK how they want to be addressed first, FFS.
I’ve had friends with ironic nicknames, including disabled folks. Sometimes, the situation just sucks and they seek dark humor in many things, including watching people squirm with a cringe inducing nickname.
I certainly don’t. Honestly, it’s so deliciously underhanded and creative. It’s rare to witness and I love it.
To avoid doxing myself, let me concoct an example. Imagine meeting a blind person who introduces themselves as X-ray (or Cyclops, or Odin). Yikes. You dance around it at first, but they just smell blood in the water: “why are you avoiding my name?” I mean, you have to laugh, but that just gets you in more “trouble.”
