Why do some people have a hangup about the word "retardation" when it refers to people who are retarded

Question

I ask this question sincerely, and do not by any means intend to offend anyone or to sound sarcastic.

That being said, I realize that it is a sensative issue by refering to people with this kind of disability period. To retard is define as to slow, and people with retardation are by nature slowed, albeit not by their own choice. To give a flowery name is not helping the person with retardation, and in a sense does them a diservice by refering to them by non-specific names, as their needs cannon be readily identified through indirect human interaction.

So, what's the big deal? I have a cousin with retardation, and I'm not ashamed of her. As long as the word is not used in a derrogatory sense, what is the big deal?

But what does "special" or "exceptional" say about the specifics concerning the disability itself? After all, weddings are "special" occasions, and my friend did "exceptionally" well on her test last week.

I've seen the some use the abreviation "MR" being used in some situations. And MR stands for........

Answer 1

Political correctness. It has gotten to where you can't call a widget a widget any more, but you have to make up some kind of socially acceptable nonsensical word to call it.

Answer 2

The stigma attached to the word retarded goes back way more years than just using it for someone that people think is stupid as they do now.

Many years ago, people who were retarded didn't usually live in the bosom of their family--they were in asylums, where they spent their entire life. They had no property, couldn't vote, etc.
Families were ashamed of their retarded relatives and hid them away because they felt it was some failing on their part that they had produced a flawed or retarded child.

Thankfully, medicine and the desire of many modern parents to raise all of their children together, including the challenged ones has made the public acutely aware of these people.

That they have a right to education has put challenged people in schools and universities--making their disabilities obvious. For whatever reason, there are still intolerant people and children who don't want to have to deal with the reality of challenged people in our midst. And they show it in so many unkind ways.

To call a person who isn't challenged "retarded" or moron,
is a direct insult to the others who are trying live with their challenges. I would rather use mentally disabled or mentally challenged instead of retarded--neither term is derogatory
and describes the condition appropriately.

Answer 3

It's not a matter of using the word as an insult,it's a matter of using the proper terminology. I've worked in the field for 33 years and we havent used the word retarded for a long time. The more desired word is Special or Exceptional. It refers to young and old alike. I'm sure you would agree that they are indeed special and exceptional. The word retarded is used frequently by young people to denote stupid. We also know that the special children and adults are anything but stupid.

Answer 4

People gave it a negative meaning by using it that way. I used to care for a special needs kid who wore diapers, his mom told me to call them underpants not diapers cause she didnt want him to feel bad....? He didnt speak, didnt pay attention to anything going on around him and hes going to take offense to the word diaper? He was a great kid who I loved very much but his mom was embarrassed of him wearing diapers and that is what made the word "bad". Its the same thing as the "N" word, it doesnt mean anything bad when African Americans use, only white ppl, and not all African Americans think them saying it is okay, there totally against it. I think that ppl wouldnt children calling other children retard (you know like haha you ride the short bus type thing) because it would teach them that to be retarded or have a sibling who is retarded is something to be ashamed of, or that they wouldnt be kind to them because somebody called them that or something. Through societies use of the word it has developed a negative connotation and and there isnt anything negative about it, its just different.

Answer 5

frankly, i agree with you. retarded is actually a very good and accurate word, but it has become a negative word because people have used it to make fun. it may be that in the future special or exceptional will be a non pc term for the same reason, because people have turned it into a joke. im a nurse and we usually just say someone is "MR" (we love to use abbreviations) meaning mental retardation

Answer 6

I teacher aided in handicapped classrooms for many years. And I had a handicapped brother-in-law
Here's the scoop:

Any word choice that sets someone apart to make them more noticeable lessens the chance of everyone accepting that person.

That is why, flowery or not, it is sometimes better to use only
"My cousin" or "My cousin Heather"
people who need to know will figure it out.
Obviously, there are some people who are in titled to a more in-depth answer.

One of my closest friends was in special ed in school. She gets A's and B's in COLLEGE.
It really helps that no one she knows now knows her background, otherwise they would be prejudiced against her abilities from the start.

Answer 7

I don't know either. I work in special education AND have 2 cousins who are mentally retarded (which is now the PC term again). I think we just live in a society that is too sensitive to EVERYTHING nowadays. Continue to use it in a nonderrogatory manner and you'll be fine. There are more people that are fine with it than aren't, I think.

Answer 8

People often misuse the word to mean "stupid" rather than "slow". And it's definitely meant as an insult. When I was at school people were constantly calling each other retards. I think that this misuse has lead to people having a problem with the word. I think it's similar with the word spasticity, kids (and adults) call each other "spaz" to mean stupid. This kind of name calling is just plain ignorant and shows that the people doing it are stupid.

Answer 9

Well, we can't be too ********* in our condemnation of certain words.