STOP using the word "retard".

[Sparklysilversequins]

This has been done many times before and I can't think why I am needing to do it again, except I have seen it used twice on here this morning already .

It's offensive. It's not JUST a word. It's no less offensive if you prefix it with "emotional" or use it to describe some silly thing you or a friend did, or some bloke you saw with his trousers half way down his backside as young men sometimes choose to do.

It may be that some believe that the use of this word is considered acceptable in other countries (ie the US) and this often trotted out as a reason for its use but that is not actually true here. As of 2014 the American Psychiatric Association plans to replace the term 'mental retardation' with 'intellectual development disorder'" in the 2013 edition of their manual.

most offensive terms used in relation to disability.

HTH.

Still

I am sorry, I just used the term sn as had no idea it is now additional educational needs.
So glad you have pointed this out.

I think youre confusing a word, with peoplesd terrible behaviour.

If people are going to shout out insults at people for their disabilities, it isnt their choice of word thats the issue. Its the fact that theyre fucking arseholes who are bullying people less fortunate than themselves.
I honestly think people are hung up on language.

I dont think its a nice word, but it isnt supposed to be. I think its very current to concentrate on this word, when stupid, idiot, etc are not considered particularly problematic. I actually think its quite interesting which words people think its not ok to use, while ignoring others

I live in the US and have three children. Retard, tard or any other nasty form of retardation as an insult are not commonly heard. It is certainly not acceptable regardless of anything you might have seen on YouTube.

my opinions arent generally based on how many people agree or disagree with me BoB. Theyre down to my own thinking on the subject.
Always willing to be educated or to hear other peoples thoughts though. I like being challenged

Yanbu.

I remember being when I found out the Black Eyes Peas song "Let's get it started" was actually released as "Let's get retarded" in America. They changed the lyrics slightly for the UK market.

If it hurts the targeted group Bran and they themselves request it isnt used then dont use it. The majority of disabled people say dont use it.
I think their opinion actually holds more weight than even parents of disabled children.
It is not up to the non-oppressed group to define what is ok and what isnt.

Sorry that got cross, bran, lets debate your point about language.

I agree that "idiot" is a word that has lost its original sting and meaning, though it still has an unsettling effect on me, as I read a lot of earlier texts where that meaning is still current.

If retard becomes sanitised like idiot, does it matter? I suppose, once it becomes sanitised, maybe not. But it's the transition phase which is damaging. People using it without much thought will not see the issue, but those on the receiving end will feel just a tiny bit stabbed every time. I agree that arseholes who are deliberately insulting will say what they like, but in transition, the damage is done by its use by the people who are normally nice, but who use this word.

Once LD kids are adults and are leaving the bubble of school, in my experience they grieve a bit and their self esteem is hit by not being able to fit in easily. Especially if these words are not meant as insults, if they are just bouncing around the place, every little hurts. When a nice normal adult uses it, it's like a rug being pulled from under your feet. You think, oh, even this nice lady says that something is "spastic" when she means rubbish, or that this nasty and rude man was a "retard" for backing into her car. I have CP and LD, this is what she thinks about me underneath.

I think those words became sanitised by overuse for non related things, and the fact that this happened before we were around, means we dont see it as current

Morethan thats fine its fairly new (and will prob change again!) in educational settings x

Can I still use it in the technical sense?

I think it's important to challenge the use of that word. It is used, more often than not, by people who have a bloody awful attitude to disabled people.

Dd has a rather unpleasant little 'Apple' fanboy (her words) on her BTEC course who likes to bandy that word about and also refers to one of the tutors who has CP, as a 'spastic'. She (and some of her course mates) have reported him several times and he's now on a final warning.

Boney
You can use it anyway you want.

If you use it in front of me I may think you are an arse but that may well not bother you.

Bran they aren't sanitised yet, at least not where I live. Perhaps that is the difference?

YANBU at all OP.

I've just learnt from this thread that it's additional educational needs now, not SN.

But I was talking to a mother of a boy with ASD (she said autism but I am under the impression that ASD is correct, so will risk using that - happy to be corrected though) only this week who referred to his SN.

It is hard to keep abreast of devopements, but that said, I think it's quite clear that the 'r' word is used to hurt and insult and is therefore inappropriate.

I hate that word, the same as the n word, or the word 'ho' it's so reductive and demeaning. It's as though a whole group of people (with differing needs) are lumped together under one word. Grrr.

Yes, stop.

My DD is a big rower, and in an eight they consider the weakest rower to be the one seated at three, and I have heard it referred to as the Threetard seat, by kids of different ages and from different clubs, adults too.

And it fucks me off. She has never used it, but I hear it, challenge it, loathe it.

Totally unacceptable.

Somethingonce I guess I am 'lucky' to be a teacher and a mum to a severely autistic son so know that SN is thankfully being replaced by AEN. Even before having my DS I hated the use of the word 'special' in SN. Surely every child has special, individual needs!

still, could you explain about ASD and autism, as terms?

As I think I understand it, ASD encompasses the whole spectrum (clue being in the name) but I'm wondering
If I've misunderstood that!

Agree. It shows that a 'retard' is something so bad to be that being called one is an insult. Therefore it shows an underlying attitude which is not respectful, kind or empathetic.

I personally think idiot has lost those connotations, and maybe fool (?), but then, this is based on personal experience so I don't know if this is a widely regarded feeling? I used to think cretin was the same but am now not sure reading things on here.

However words like spaz, mong, retard, they still have a definite emphasis on humiliation by comparison. Hateful words.

It's striking that the 'but it's just a word' attitudes are fine to level at these words, but n!gger and similar are regarded as so much more than 'just a word'.

Fanjo I remember the 'something special' comments. I thought it was really funny... Until I realised that posters weren't actually joking.

SomethingOnce thats absolutely it I think. ASD incorporates all autism as far as I know, AS is Aspergers Syndrome ... But then there's high functioning autism (which I think is different to AS although I live my life with LF autism so am not an 'expert' on anything HF)

You see I really struggle cos I find Karl Pilkington, Gervais and Merchant funny but my lovely pal Nicky Clarke (Disability Campaigner) has had chats with Gervais about his use of the horrible word 'mong'. I hate that too. However I loved the Office and Extras and both programmes challenged the view of society regarding types of disability I think.

Pagwatch

"You can use it anyway you want.

If you use it in front of me I may think you are an arse but that may well not bother you."

I suppose if that makes someone who wants your car engine to run better an arse then so be it.

I don't like it and would never use it. I would be really ashamed if I heard either of my children using it in a derogatory way towards anyone, even if they meant it in jest.