forbidden words: vulnerable populations

vulnerable populations

vulnerable adj

1. capable of or susceptible to being attacked, damaged, or hurt.
   a vulnerable part of the body;
   vulnerable to predators;
   a company vulnerable to a hostile takeover.

2. open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc..
   That is an argument vulnerable to refutation.
   He is vulnerable to bribery.

3. (of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend.
   a vulnerable bridge.

4. willing to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known.
   Men and boys are rarely seen as vulnerable.

5. (of a person or population) needing supportive or protective social services and community resources because of advanced age, poverty, disability, etc.

6. Bridge.,  having won one of the games of a rubber.

7. Biology, Ecology.,  (of a threatened plant or animal species) likely to be classified endangered in the near future unless circumstances that threaten reproduction and survival improve, as categorized by the IUCN Red List: VU
   At least 15 percent of our vulnerable reptiles are turtles.

from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025i). In Dictionary.com.

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populations n 

1. the total number of people inhabiting a country, city, or any district or area.

2. the body of inhabitants of a place.
   The population of the city opposes the addition of fluorides to the drinking water.

3. the number or body of inhabitants in a place belonging to a specific social, cultural, socioeconomic, ethnic, or racial subgroup: the working-class population.
   the Native population
   the working-class population.

4. Statistics.,  any finite or infinite aggregation of individuals, not necessarily animate, subject to a statistical study.

5. Ecology.

   1. the assemblage of a specific type of organism living in a given area.

   2. all the individuals of one species in a given area.

6. the act or process of populating.

   Population of the interior was hampered by dense jungles.

from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025i). In Dictionary.com.

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vulnerable populations

Vulnerable populations are groups of people at a higher risk for poor health outcomes due to social, economic, or environmental disadvantages. These populations often face disparities in access to healthcare, education, and other resources, and may be more susceptible to harm or exploitation. Examples include children, the elderly, people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and those with low income or inadequate insurance.

• • Increased risk for health problems: They have a greater likelihood of poor physical and mental health, including chronic illnesses.
  • Barriers to care: They often experience significant disparities in accessing and using healthcare services.
  • Social, economic, and environmental factors: Vulnerability is shaped by a combination of inherent characteristics (like age or race) and acquired factors (like poverty or lack of insurance).

• Examples: Common examples include:
  • Children and the elderly
  • Racial and ethnic minorities
  • People with disabilities
  • People with low incomes, homeless individuals, and the uninsured
  • Individuals with mental health conditions
  • Members of the LGBTQIA+ community
  • Prisoners and pregnant women, especially in research contexts (editor’s note: WOW! Prisoners and pregnant women on the same bullet point. YIKES)

from — Google Search. (n.d.-i).

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vulnerable populations

World Health Organization – Vulnerability and Vulnerable Populations: Community Disaster Risk Management

All communities and countries are at risk of being exposed to disasters. The impact of disasters is directly associated with the resilience or susceptibility of individuals and communities to hazardous events. Understanding and identifying individual or community vulnerability is important for developing and implementing Disaster Risk Management (DRM) policies and programmes to reduce disaster risk and increase resilience in communities.

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November 13th, 2025
Hudson Valley, New York

This is one of the words/ phrases you can’t say in the new Trump Regime. See a comprehensive list at the Forbidden Words Project.

image: iron clam © Holly Troy 11.2025

“PEN America initially compiled a list of more than 250 words and phrases reportedly no longer considered acceptable by the Trump administration, from ‘abortion,’ to ‘women,’ and including ‘disability,’ ‘elderly,’ ‘Native American’ and, unsurprisingly, the ‘Gulf of Mexico.'”
from — Ltolin. (2025, October 3). Federal Government’s Growing Banned Words List Is Chilling Act of Censorship. PEN America.