Middle of the night thoughts: PGAL acronym

Mkurban · October 2013

There are a boatload of acronyms on this site that confuse me. Sometimes I take the time to look them up, sometimes I make my own meaning. Last night, when insomnia hit, I perseverated for quite some time on PGAL. Here are some of my guesses:
Pretty Gestational Area, Look!
Pregnant, Gassy, A**hole Lady
Pickles, Guacamole and Lemonade (I crave all of those. Not together)
Please Get Away! Lethargic!

I believe I had more but I can't remember. Feel free to add to the list or share any acronyms that confused you at first!

mrstengallonhat1 · October 2013

PGAL is pregnant after a loss. There should be a glossary on the site that explains all of these.

awc1986 · October 2013

I can't help but face palm at the inappropriate nature of those meanings, bearing in mind the actual meaning of the acronym. Fair play though, as you didn't know what it meant.

AmyfromMI · October 2013

Maybe you should take the time to look them up in the future!

ajsweeton · October 2013

I'd have to agree that of all the acronyms you chose to use this was a very bad one. Being PGAL is a very difficult thing and I find this pretty offensive to be compared to pickles, guacamole and lemonade. In the future please take the time to look up these acronyms before posting.

dragossoul84 · October 2013

I am sure you did this with humor but as always making fun of thing you don't know can result badly. I am PGAL and I found this hurtful and in bad taste

alphalyrae · October 2013

There are several PGAL check ins. Reading any single one of those posts, even just one or two of them would instantly have clued you in to the meaning of the acronym.

https://tbttgp.wordpress.com/tb-glossary/ should be helpful for others.

ykristos · October 2013

spacepotatoes · October 2013

Oh boy. Of all the acronyms in all the world, you had to pick that one. Have a really good look at that glossary, OP.

LunaBug924 · October 2013

Wow.

OP, I also am giving you the benefit of the doubt that this was not meant to insult anyone, but PLEASE think about your audience and do a little research before posting stuff like this.

Furthermore, I hope that when you see these responses that you apologize to all the PGAL women who might have been hurt with this post.

TaylorHam86 · October 2013

Easy easy, she didn't mean any harm. I'm also "PGAL" and can't stand all the acronyms on this site. She was just trying to be silly. She wasn't aiming for anyone.

@mkurban, in the Blended Families board, I always read BM or BD as "baby mama/daddy" instead of "biological mom/dad." It makes it a little more entertaining to read.

meli1025 · October 2013

I couldn't agree with LunaBug more, I cringed reading the OP.

lv2011 · October 2013

X(

runningyogimama · October 2013

When I first got stared on TB, I would just google the acronym and "the bump" and would always find the answer without having to go to the glossary. Or, worse, coming across and insensitive and inadvertently offending people.

stiches221 · October 2013

dragossoul84 said:
I am sure you did this with humor but as always making fun of thing you don't know can result badly. I am PGAL and I found this hurtful and in bad taste

Exactly!!!

sheriot · October 2013

Fwiw, I'm "PGAL" (rather, pregnant after four losses), had no idea what the acronym meant (thanks for clearing it up!) and I thought the OP was funny. That said, I can understand how PPs might have been offended.

Being pregnant again is emotionally difficult, but I am really REALLY trying to be as positive as possible and this post made me smile initially. Eh. Live and learn.

LunaBug924 · October 2013

cunninghammy said:

Easy easy, she didn't mean any harm. I'm also "PGAL" and can't stand all the acronyms on this site. She was just trying to be silly. She wasn't aiming for anyone.

@mkurban, in the Blended Families board, I always read BM or BD as "baby mama/daddy" instead of "biological mom/dad." It makes it a little more entertaining to read.

No one is saying she did it intentionally. I get it was meant to be funny, and if it had been ANY OTHER acronym, it might have been.

However, ignorance doesn't excuse bad behavior. If you walked into a real life support group like AA and started making inappropriate substitutions of that acronym, I'm pretty sure you'd be asked to apologize and forced to leave. For me, and many others, PGAL IS a support group, so in a sense, the OP did just that. I don't think anyone is out of line here in pointing out the mistake, even if it was an honest one. It's how we learn. And while no one is asking her to leave by any means, I still think an apology would be nice.

Dcopani · October 2013

There is an unnecessary amount of acronyms used on this site...for words that can easily typed out. She was simply seeking feedback, not purposely trying to offend anyone. As moms or soon-to-be moms, everyone needs to let these little things slide...

Junebug060609 · October 2013

Dcopani said:
There is an unnecessary amount of acronyms used on this site...for words that can easily typed out. She was simply seeking feedback, not purposely trying to offend anyone. As moms or soon-to-be moms, everyone needs to let these little things slide...

You wanna type out "pregnant after loss" all the time? PGAL is so much easier.

And I beg to differ about letting things slide as Moms. A little clutter, sure, but an (inadvertent) slam at an entire group of people isn't ok. I get that she had no clue and meant no harm...but that doesn't mean it wasn't out of line.

Empireceo · October 2013

Yikes, you literally couldn't have picked a worse acronym to snark on. There are a lot of ladies on this board who are PGAL and not out of the woods yet. I get that you were trying to be funny but it was a fail this time.

awc1986 · October 2013

we must be careful. otherwise spratt3 will be in here telling us off for not being super nice.

lv2011 · October 2013

The part that really pisses me off about this is where OP says "share any acronyms that confused you at first!". At first. Which says to me that at some point prior to posting she did indeed figure out what PGAL actually meant and posted this shit anyway.

OP, you suck. And should really, REALLY apologize.

Ayesha4160 · October 2013

Where's her apology????
I understand she was trying to be funny but surely now she can see how many people she has offended. So the decent thing to do is apologise.

pistolpackinmomma · October 2013

Guess I'm a pregnant gassy asshole lady because some other asshole decided to make fun of a very difficult acronym to have attached to my life and make me live in a sort of fear for my unborn baby's life whether rational or not.

JulieD6812 · October 2013

I am pretty new to these boards and know some of you have been around for a long time, but I think it is ridiculous that you are all demanding an apology from someone for this. The acronym thing is a little much for most people, because we don't talk like that outside of this bubble. I think everyone needs to relax and think about her intentions. She never meant to hurt or offend anyone.

awc1986 · October 2013

jritter2 said:
I am pretty new to these boards and know some of you have been around for a long time, but I think it is ridiculous that you are all demanding an apology from someone for this. The acronym thing is a little much for most people, because we don't talk like that outside of this bubble. I think everyone needs to relax and think about her intentions. She never meant to hurt or offend anyone.

Are you actually serious right now?

JulieD6812 · October 2013

I did. I'm not trying to be insensitive to anyone or your situations. I think it's just a little extreme to jump on her for this. She never meant to offend you.

awc1986 · October 2013

jritter2 said:
I did. I'm not trying to be insensitive to anyone or your situations. I think it's just a little extreme to jump on her for this. She never meant to offend you.

Well you are being insensitive, so perhaps consider what you're saying before coming in here like a white knight. You're effectively telling us to get over it. Tbh most of us have actually given the OP the benefit of the doubt and let her off the hook.

JulieD6812 · October 2013

Not even slightly saying that. I'm sorry you feel that way.

Jessy336 · October 2013

OP(original poster)- I understand that there are a lot of acronyms on TB (the bump). With that being said there is a glossary available. If you didn't know there was one, you could've asked what some of the acronyms meant.

I don't think you meant to offend anyone, but you picked the wrong acronym to snark about/reassign words too. If you really didn't know, ask. It would have saved a lot of people from being offended.

JAM85 · October 2013

hmmm yes that was perhaps one of the worst acronyms to pick to try to be funny about especially since this is still such a highly emotional and scary time in pregnancy for us on this board. I definitely would make it a point to look it up before posting about it as I am sure you are well aware of at this point.

Tkhixen · October 2013

ErBear1010 said:

OP must know she did something wrong since she hasn't posted anything since. Whether she meant to offend or not, she did offend people. Common courtesy says you apologize for that behavior. Own up to your mistake.

If you click on her name, it doesn't look like she is on here everyday or minute like some people. Why don't you give her a chance to apologize instead of flaming her every 5 minutes....go take a walk or something! I'm PGAL and while I think it was highly inappropriate of her to post something like that, everyone is jumping on her back. I think she will get the point!

mileswithmyles · October 2013

I don't think anyone would have thought twice about this post if it were almost any other acronym. While OP may not have meant harm, it was in poor taste.

Katemr1146 · October 2013

Would it be possible to add a "sticky" post to the top of this board with the whole glossary immediately posted? It's sort of buried in the blog posts on that newbies posts. Unless you know that it exists, it's rather difficult to find.

It's also sort of a pain to constantly be needing to look up the ridiculous number of acronyms used on this board. I have read that glossary message a couple times and there's no way to remember all 195 (yes I counted) of them. If we had quicker/easier access to this list, it might avoid situations like this. She obviously meant no harm.

Just to clarify...I'm not saying PGAL is a ridiculous acronym...just that there are SO many in general.
DS for son...really? One less letter helps that much?

busterbeagle · October 2013

Ugh, I wish I hadn't even opened this. I've had a successful pregnancy since my loss but it is still a huge part of my identity and will be for the rest of my life. This is a blatantly ignorant post and is very hurtful to a large and active population on this board. OP, I'm sure you meant no harm, but an apology would be sincerely appreciated. Those of you who are defending this post, it would be nice if you could apologize also. No one is going to hold a grudge if OP apologizes, but it's ridiculous to say its okay to mock an experience that is incredibly painful and difficult just because you didn't know any better. Big hugs to anyone who is hurting.

Tkhixen · October 2013

Just for the record, I'm not defending what she said AT ALL! I'm just saying give her some time to apologize! I'm sure once she opens this board again and sees all the attention her post got, she will immediately get the drift. She will understand she is wrong! Enough with the flames!

pistolpackinmomma · October 2013

jritter2 said:
I did. I'm not trying to be insensitive to anyone or your situations. I think it's just a little extreme to jump on her for this. She never meant to offend you.

So if I had made a racial slur but didn't know it was as then I should get a free pass? Or maybe if I called someone a retard but didn't know that wasn't PC? I would fully expect people to jump all over that! Ignorance does not excuse a joke/behavior that is bad taste.

ABColeslaw · October 2013

I ummm, chose a bad day to come back. Everyone is so nice. So I'll be the asshole. F you OP. This was very insensitive. You have no idea how awesome life would be for some many mamas if they were worried about Pickles, Guac and Lemonade and not looking at a tiny box of Ashes. I can't decide if you're stupid, a troll, or just tactless. Either way.

busterbeagle · October 2013

There is a huge difference between flaming and saying "wow, that's is really offensive." There are only so many replies because so many of us are personally hurt by this post. I agree with @pistolpackinmomma, you can say something offensive without realizing it, but that doesn't give you a free pass.

SVPW · October 2013

Lurker here... I just checked the glossary and PGAL is not defined there.

...goes back to lurking...

pistolpackinmomma · October 2013

SVPW said:
Lurker here... I just checked the glossary and PGAL is not defined there.

...goes back to lurking...

But there is an entire bump board devoted to PGAL and tends to be a we known acronym. Regardless, I still stick by my earlier statement that ignorance does not excuse bad behavior/comments.

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