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[Ekdrm2d1]

I am speaking about the word retarded. It's a descriptive term used in modern dialect. i.e. "Dude, that's retarded." or "I want to smoke myself retarded."

As liberal as GAF is, I see it daily. People should understand it's an offensive word.

If you are actually speaking about mentally retarded people, the correct terminology is IDD. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. i.e. "Yeah, my sister has Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She suffers from Cerebral Palsy."

If you want to use it in your everyday dialect, please use another word. How about stupid instead? "Dude, that's stupid." or "Dude, I want to smoke myself stupid."

The R word is not allowed in my family. We are liberal democrats.

Spoiler

this thread could go the opposite. People making fun of me and my posting by saying retarded every other posting. We shall see!

 

[SynthFetish]

Something a thug would say.

 

[Volimar]

Is this alphabet day?

 

[FZZ]

I choose not to say it unless it's literally applicable

 

[Rhomega Beta]

I'm going to start a new thread: The Z Word, or The Zed Word if you like.

 

[Cronox]

IDD? Can't I just say mentally handicapped? At least that's only 2 words.

 

[Speely]

I'm with you, OP. It's a horrible term, but it's largely still viewed as "ok" by a lot of folks who oppose political correctness on principle even when it's just... correct. They and people who don't have any loved ones with IDDs or can't empathize with those who do.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Something a thug would say.

Something a thug would say.

Something a thug would say.

Something a thug would say.

 

[Ekdrm2d1]

Something a thug would say.

:lol

 

[Puppen]

Agree with OP 100%. Glad this thread was made.

 

[Bony Manifesto]

For what it's worth, I only occasionally see the word used on here, and it's almost always followed by another poster telling them off for using it. Same when people use 'gay' as a pejorative term.

I think it's more weird that the term 'spaz' still seems to be acceptable in the US (it's been frowned upon for ages in the UK).

 

[Schrade]

I'm not a liberal or a democrat and I have no need to say the word other than when using it like in a case like: "The plant's growth is being retarded by xxxx".

I usually see some of the foulest things come from those who think they are above it all though.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

:lol

 

[Bronx-Man]

Something a thug would say.

Now wait just a second here

 

[v1lla21]

It's the only word I still use that I've been trying to stop from saying.

 

[Anony]

If you want to use it in your everyday dialect, please use another word. How about stupid instead? "Dude, that's stupid." or "Dude, I want to smoke myself stupid."

great, now you're going to trigger people who are 'stupid'
good job there

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

The R word is not allowed in my family. We are liberal democrats.

This made me laugh for some reason.

We should just work our way through the entire alphabet pointing out offensive words. Who has an 'A' word?

 

[User 73706]

FREE SPEECH

 

[Ekdrm2d1]

IDD? Can't I just say mentally handicapped? At least that's only 2 words.

Handicapped is also a negative word. Mentally disabled is also not the best as people with IDD are not disabled. They can still function.

MHMRA of Houston, Texas is the biggest Mental Health and Mental Retardation Association in the Houston area. They recently changed their company to IDD instead of Mental Retardation.

Old:

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[RoboPlato]

I'm trying to stop saying it.

I don't use it much anymore but haven't been able to purge it entirely like I have other things.

 

[v1lla21]

This made me laugh for some reason.

We should just work our way through the entire alphabet pointing out offensive words. Who has an 'A' word?

He said it twice. Lol. I laughed when he said he was a liberal. I don't get what that has to do with using the word retard.

 

[OricWindstar]

TWe should just work our way through the entire alphabet pointing out offensive words. Who has an 'A' word?

As an asshole, I find it very offensive when people use it wily nilly.

 

[Sheroking]

I choose to apply the Christopher Titus method to that word.

 

[FriedConsole]

When I used to volunteer at a mental hospital in 90's the word was used to describe patients without malice but some how people started using that word in slang. When I volunteered recently for an institution with mentally handicapped that word was forbidden. Kind of weird how things have changed when stupid people thought it was funny to use an insult.

 

[boinx]

Something a thug would say.

lmao

 

[Aiustis]

There's no nice way to insult intelligence. I'll keep using it. Beside, stupid, idiot, imbecile...all words that at one point in time were the term for intellectually disabled folk.

 

[Andodalf]

It's the only word I still use that I've been trying to stop from saying.

Yep. It's so ingrained in common speech.

 

[Sheentak]

Is Retard really that offensive? UK here and its not a big deal here its just a meaner version of calling somebody stupid/a idiot.
I dunno though im probably wrong

 

[echoshifting]

I must confess I used to be really terrible with this one. I'm sure there are embarrassing posts right here on gaf that show me flippantly tossing this one around. But I feel good arguments have been made against its use so I removed it from my lexicon a few years ago.

 

[Brakke]

I cut it out of my vocabulary a while ago but I cannot abide the idea of Bostonians follow suit. This word said in a Boston accident is so delightfully ridiculous.

 

[Shamrock7r]

I had an aunt, recently passed, who had down syndrome, and an uncle who has down syndrome. Ultimately, it's used these days as a way to define something stupid. I know how you feel in finding it offensive, but it's one of those things that when you take a step back you know the vast majority of people, when they use it like that, don't mean to directly insult people with disabilities. Understanding that, I'm not to offended, but moreso just annoyed slightly when it's used by adults. I don't really hang out with people that use that word with any regularity, so that probably helps. I do point out to kids that they shouldn't say it.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

I occasionally use it in regards to events or situations. I would never use it in regards to a person.

 

[Mael]

I feel like the whole point of the R word IS to compare it to people who has this disability it's inherently mocking these people.
Stupid (or was it a synonym or in another language?) was actually used to define people with that disability.
I would argue that maybe using these words aren't the best way to demean someone...

 

[GalacticToast]

I'm obviously biased since my younger sister, now 11, was born with Down syndrome, but I agree. I generally don't care for words, but making fun of people who are intellectually disabled has always come across to me poorly. It looks bad for everyone involved.

However, I definitely won't tell people what they should or shouldn't say. God knows I say enough stupid shit to offend someone out there.

 

[Sheroking]

Is Retard really that offensive? UK here and its not a big deal here its just a meaner version of calling somebody stupid/a idiot.
I dunno though im probably wrong

Well, all those words are one point referred to people with mental disabilities. The difference is "mentally retarded" was recently a clinical or common term for those people, and retard started being used as an insult at the same time. There's a stronger correlation in peoples minds between "retard" and "mentally challenged" than, say, idiot or imbecile.

 

[Professor Renegade]

I think Rick and Morty addressed this topic well

 

[Tesseract]

wait isn't it a good thing now? dark souls 3 is super retarded.

 

[Joyful]

I thought this was gonna be another rapp thread

 

[Speely]

It's the only word I still use that I've been trying to stop from saying.

I went through the same thing. Growing up, it was such a ubiquitous term that it worked its way into my vocabulary in a very subtle way that I didn't even notice. It's just what kids said. There are lots of words like that.

Then again I am 40 and grew up in a different time (it's crazy how even the 80s/90s and today are so different in regard to social awareness.) So I worked through (and am still working through) the language I was using and considered it objectively... found a lot of garbage. "Retarded" was a particularly nasty offender.

 

[BearFlexington]

If you are actually speaking about mentally retarded people,

Assumptive.

What if a person only uses the word "retarded" to describe things that have progressed adversely? People with mental disabilities should have nothing to do with this word. Associating them with the word to demonize the word itself seems . . . ret- counterproductive.

 

[Shaffield]

I prefer mongoloid anyways

 

[Volimar]

I'm going to start a new thread: The Z Word, or The Zed Word if you like.

We're not saying the Zed word.

 

[schlongdog]

The R word is not allowed in my family. We are liberal democrats.

Congratulations. Give yourself and the fam a big pat on the back.

 

[RecRoulette]

I choose to apply the Christopher Titus method to that word.

Titus is the man.

 

[Megalosaro]

I cut it out of my vocabulary a while ago but I cannot abide the idea of Bostonians follow suit. This word said in a Boston accident is so delightfully ridiculous.

No, it's cool. They're actually saying retawded.

 

[Ekdrm2d1]

great, now you're going to trigger people who are 'stupid'
good job there

zomg! I was visiting a friend this weekend and their 4 year old daughter said stupid. The mother corrected her saying stupid is a "bad word". I had to question the mom myself! Apparently, it's a rule at the daughter's gymnastics studio.

It does indicate name calling and general negativity. She is stupid, that is stupid, etc.

 

[BreezyLimbo]

Well, all those words are one point referred to people with mental disabilities. The difference is "mentally retarded" was recently a clinical term for that word, and retard was an insult at the same time. There's a stronger correlation in peoples minds between "retard" and "mentally challenged" than, say, idiot or imbecile.

Imbecile is a cooler sounding word than 'retarded' and should replace it

 

[Fou-Lu]

I only use the word as a scientific term when. Like retarding forces in physics.

 

[thecouncil]

How about "moron"? You say that one? You shouldn't.

 

[Lambtron]

There's no nice way to insult intelligence. I'll keep using it. Beside, stupid, idiot, imbecile...all words that at one point in time were the term for intellectually disabled folk.

Then don't use any ableist slurs? I've tried hard to avoid them all.