Captain Zyrain
Member
Feels like it's been a decade or so, but there was a big push for people to stop using retard and retarded in conversation as a negative word replacement for things like "stupid" or "idiotic" or the like.
I remember belonging to an online group years ago, where one of the members had a daughter with Down syndrome and asked everyone if they could not use it. Most people complied, though some didn't. I always felt on the fence, as the word could perfectly encapsulate what you were trying to say, i.e. "That person is acting as if they have mental retardation". It always seemed like a clear, clinical term, but I also understand how it's use could be seen as.. I don't know, belittling (?) people who are actually, clinically, retarded?
I've seen the word used less and less over time, but today I was driving and saw a kid riding his skateboard looking at his phone and he went straight into a hedge and I thought "retard", out of nowhere.
Got me thinking what the GAF has to say about it's use. What say you?
EDIT: Also, I wanted to put a poll in, but couldn't figure out how, am I retarded?
I remember belonging to an online group years ago, where one of the members had a daughter with Down syndrome and asked everyone if they could not use it. Most people complied, though some didn't. I always felt on the fence, as the word could perfectly encapsulate what you were trying to say, i.e. "That person is acting as if they have mental retardation". It always seemed like a clear, clinical term, but I also understand how it's use could be seen as.. I don't know, belittling (?) people who are actually, clinically, retarded?
I've seen the word used less and less over time, but today I was driving and saw a kid riding his skateboard looking at his phone and he went straight into a hedge and I thought "retard", out of nowhere.
Got me thinking what the GAF has to say about it's use. What say you?
EDIT: Also, I wanted to put a poll in, but couldn't figure out how, am I retarded?
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