What's Wrong with the Word "Retard"?
"Retard" is not just a word; it is hateful and mean speech. It is a slur used against people with intellectual disabilities. Some defend the use of the word by saying that often, the person whom the slur is directed at does not have intellectual disabilities, so it should not be seen as an insult. The word is still an insult! It is used to describe someone who is stupid or acting as such. People with intellectual disabilities are by no means stupid. It may take them longer to learn some things, but they are not stupid by any stretch of the imagination!
Words hurt. I don't care about the old adage, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." That's just a cover-up for hurt feelings. Every human being alive has something that he or she is sensitive about; something that they will not tolerate others joking about, or making light of.
For me, and many people with disabilities, "retard" is a word that not only hurts, it sears the soul. It breaks the heart and the spirit.
As a child, I was mainstreamed. I went to a regular school, and attended regular classes with non-disabled students. If I had a dollar for every time classmates hurled that insult at me, I would be filthy rich. It did not matter that I was gifted or that I was a bookworm. They took every opportunity to torment me with that horrible word.
"Retard" followed me through high school. I took honors and advanced placement classes, yet students would taunt me by asking, "Are you retarded?" Soon, I began to internalize this. Though I knew that I was smart, I began to think that I was stupid. I downplayed every achievement. Eventually, I sank into depression.
Fortunately, my spirit would not break, and I came back fighting. It was not easy, but I began to ignore those who put me down, realizing that it was their ignorance and low self esteem that caused them to behave that way.
Many of my friends with disabilities were not so lucky. Some were so affected by the word that they considered, or even attempted suicide.
Because of this, I speak out against the use of that word. I reject the notion that people should be able to say anything they want without regard for other's feelings. It's not a matter of being politically correct; there are some words that should never be used. The word "retard" is one of them.
Published by Anita Cameron
Anita Cameron hails from Chicago, IL, and is the younger of twins. She holds degrees in Biology, and Computer Information Systems. Drawing on her passion for social justice and change, she became involve... View profile
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32 Comments
Post a CommentExcellent article. I'm so sorry about the horrible, ignorant comments you recieved. If a word offends a group of people, or causes some people to feel uncomfortable when it's used, we should stop using it. Simple as that. As a special education teacher-to-be I am particularly sensitive to that word as well and do my best to stop its use when I hear people saying it.
You're a retard. "Retard" is not a SLUR, any more than "Black" or "Handicapped" is. Its just a statement of factual condition. If you are a part of the group of people who are retarded, then you ARE a retard. Sorry, truth hurts? Likewise, you are black. Is that an insult? "Not by any stretch of the imagination"!
Harker, I am more aware than you realize about the usage of the word in science. the comparison of that usage, and the use of the word to demean others is like comparing apples and oranges. Surely you have the intelligence to know the difference between use of that word as a verb (to slow down), and use of the word as a noun or an adjective (a nasty name or a rude and archaic description of someone with intellectual disabilities. I don't understand you folks who believe that its OK to call people nasty, rude and offensive names, and I never will. Good day, Sir or Madam, and thanks for the page views.
You've done a good job forming a straw man argument... Merely calling a word "bad" because of your own subjective interpretation of the word is fallacious at best. The word is used all the time in science; usage won't stop because your a slave to your own erroneous reality.
I couldn't agree more. When I grew up, 'retard' was a verb, meaning to slow down. When I worked in a tube manufacturing plant, we had certain types of tubes that had to go through the huge machines more slowly. "Retard this line!", was the common shout. The word as a noun, in this context? That's just strange and rude.
Why do I have to change a word I grew up using, and was acceptable, because the culture has decided the word is offensive.
Like black and african-american, what if the person is Jamaican? I pretty sure I don't use the non-offensive word for homosexuals.
PC I am proudly not.
I am sure that many don't understand the emotional impact of the word "retard." Using a word referring to a disability as an insult is not cool.
I mean really now.
It has a meaning too!
It means slow.
That's just the slang for it!
Don't be so sensitive!
I believe the problem is not so much with the word, but with the people who are cruel and ignorant of using words as weapons to hurt others. Calling anyone, any name is a way that people make themselves feel superior. I don't have a problem with the words being used the way they are supposed to be used. I feel that concentrating on the words that people use casually is a mute point. Instead, we should concentrate on not allowing words to be used as a way to put people down. Very good article, valid points and an eye opener for some.