I hear newscaster and others using the term "mentally challenged" or "mentally handicaped" in place of mentally retarded.
I have a mental illness, but my IQ is above average.
Wouldn't I be correct saying I am M.C. M.H. or M.I. leading to confusion?
I guess my point is, Isn't all this P.C. stuff getting a little overbearing?
2006-12-19 00:21:22 · 7 answers · asked by Kari 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
The next time someone refers to me as being "white", I will correct them by saying "no, I am an Irish American".
2006-12-19 01:04:41 · update #1
I agree with you...
You cant "sugar coat" everything in the World, to make "nice" for everyone...
If some one is a deranged killer, what do we call them? Confused? Inability to relate to people so, he takes out his fustrations by imobilizing them permenantly??? hmmm
It will take a turn around, some day, when people get it through thier heads that this simply isnt working...
I wish you well..
Jesse
2006-12-19 00:24:59 · answer #1 · answered by x 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your IQ is above average, then you are certainly not retarded. Retarded people ALWAYS have an IQ below 70, otherwise you may just have a learning disorder, which is very different from mentally retarded.
As for the original question, I don't know if mentally retarded is politically incorrect if a person REALLY is retarded, but it sounds nicer to say mentally challenged or handicapped-especially since retarded is frequently used as an insult. Plus, if someone IS retarded, they usually have no clue that something is wrong with them unless you tell them that, and that would be really cruel.
2006-12-19 08:27:15 · answer #2 · answered by Lady of the Garden 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe a lot of individials have terms they use for this,however in some cases people are scared to state either M.R. M.H or M.I. due to how some with take it. So with the newscaster it may be the term the station has coined using for fear of offending someone. Yes all this and more that deals with being PC has gotten a bit stuffy and overbearing. Sum up of this one... I guess it depends on who you are addressing ( some are playing it safe)
2006-12-19 08:29:15 · answer #3 · answered by ssgtmommy01 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Screw all this PC S...t! A Retard is a Retard, Hell, we are all mentally challenged on a daily basis so that is redundant. As for your mental illness, why label yourself at all? You have an above average IQ....frankly I think we all have some degree of mental illness, hell half the Nation is on some sort of anti-depressant so why bring it up to people, chances are they are more F'd up than you anyway
2006-12-19 08:27:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mental illness is different than retardation. Retardation refers to someone with Down's syndrome or some kind of encephalopathy. Mental illness such as Bi polar disorder is entirely different. When they refer to someone who is mentally retarded, mentally handicapped or challenged applies. If it is something of mental illness, such as bipolar, it is referred to as a psychiatric disorder.
2006-12-19 08:25:13 · answer #5 · answered by queenmaeve172000 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I worked with severely handicapped people for 6 years.
The term that makes them cumm now is Developementally Delayed!
2006-12-19 08:24:32 · answer #6 · answered by Master_of_Psyche 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would answer you, but I am afraid I may offend someone......
2006-12-19 08:23:22 · answer #7 · answered by sherry s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋