4 ms·

"mentally challenged" and "developmentally delayed" aren't pejorative terms so they're not relevant to the discussion. anyone can be an "idiot" or "moron" or d

"mentally challenged" and "developmentally delayed" aren't pejorative terms so they're not relevant to the discussion. anyone can be an "idiot" or "moron" or do something "stupid". It doesn't denote anything specific other than "your actions weren't intelligent" and a sense of belittling. "retarted" is a word that is extremely hurtful to those it is used against. I'm sure that "developmentally delayed" people are more sensitive to being called "stupid" than your average person, but it's nothing compared to being called "retarted". Imagine your brother or sister was "developmentally delayed" and was regularly spat on by society (as we do to anyone who is) and bullied and called "retarted". Would you still say it's "white knighting"? Or would you stand up for your sibling and say "hey that's mean. don't call them that!" I would like to think you would stand up for your sibling. I would like to think that if you spent a moment putting yourself in the shoes of someone who is abused with that word you would recognize that it has long since transformed from a medical term to a harmful slur that helps no-one, and hurts many. I would like to think that you would recognize that people are worth standing up for even if you're not related to them, even if you don't know them.

cptskippy 4y ago
I think you've completely misunderstood what I am saying. I was not suggesting it was acceptable to direct the insult at someone with an IDD. I was saying the opposite, that it was acceptable to direct it at someone *without* an IDD. > "mentally challenged" and "developmentally delayed" aren't pejorative terms so they're not relevant to the discussion. A pejorative is all about context. If you're in the southern United States and someone says to you "bless your heart" or "oh sweet child", you've just been insulted. Calling your able bodied sibling "mentally challenged" is no different than calling them "retarded". > anyone can be an "idiot" or "moron" or do something "stupid" Fool, idiot, moron, and stupid were, like retard, once used as terms to describe someone with an IDD.

cptskippy 4y ago

I think you've completely misunderstood what I am saying. I was not suggesting it was acceptable to direct the insult at someone with an IDD. I was saying the opposite, that it was acceptable to direct it at someone *without* an IDD. > "mentally challenged" and "developmentally delayed" aren't pejorative terms so they're not relevant to the discussion. A pejorative is all about context. If you're in the southern United States and someone says to you "bless your heart" or "oh sweet child", you've just been insulted. Calling your able bodied sibling "mentally challenged" is no different than calling them "retarded". > anyone can be an "idiot" or "moron" or do something "stupid" Fool, idiot, moron, and stupid were, like retard, once used as terms to describe someone with an IDD.