How do you feel about the word ret*d?

Post Reply New Topic

F word, C word, S word and P word, what a load of differently abled C word from the viewpoint of a WCP of I.

I have been called "socially ret*d" and though the person who said it had no idea I was autistic, it's absolutely true.

So, in terms of the literal meaning of the word, there's no reason to be offended by it, if it's accurate.

In terms of the word being used as a slang insult, it's pretty much meaningless to me. I get that it's just another way of calling someone stupid, but it's such a childish slur, I can't really take it seriously. It's the sort of thing you expect to hear from 8 year olds. Doesn't bother me, it just sounds silly.

I do not use. I heard it too much when I was in the school.
"You are not normal." You are stupid." < I hate to hear these.

It's a slur, same kind as the n word and should be seen as as bad as the n word.

People shouldn't use groups of people as an insult at all. When someone does it is a duel insult, also saying that the group is at least as bad as the recipient.

For an example, "Neo-Nazis are such (R-words)"
Now, anyone who could of been encompassed into it at one point are being used to insult Neo-Nazis, meaning the person who did it is making them at least as bad.

A lot of people were giving this as a diagnoses, it used to just be a go to for a lot of things, you didn't even have to have a ID.

I've been on the receiving end of that word for many years and definitely believe its a slur

I feel meh about it.

Thrown out in a childish casual way (might be my era of upbringing) it does not trigger any anxiety or anger.
I feel different if it is used while hazing and surrounding a person, regardless if they do or do not have a condition. But bullying can use ANY word. yesterday's compliment can become the slur of tomorrow.
ret*d is a slur, an insult but really in most cases, words are just that. Separate from Downs, ret*d is a genuine description meaning slow and is also used in other applications. If you are being slow, you are indeed being ret*d.
I really do not find myself personally affronted nor upset on other's behalf just because a word is thrown out
If I overhear/ am called a beaner.. or a cougar.. or ugly... liberal... nazi... milf... etc... same thing.
Even "Aspie" and "Autistic" are becoming new go-to slurs.
And after overuse to escape culpability during incidences in armed services is an automatic banned condition for enlistment since last 5 years. It used to be a don't ask- don't tell. It can be in your records but ignored. They figure you make it through basic and school, you are "normal" enough. Not anymore.

I grew up when idiots are ret*ds, losers are "gay", bad things are bogus/bummer and your peers are dudes... even when girls. And your mixed race children will be spotted!/Striped! (my moms mum in law used that one on her hispanic heritage, my grandma said it would happen if I ever involved with a 'colored' person). Lol my native history from my pale, ginger dad made me darker than either relative. And the n-word. I never could even figure why african mix were called 'black'. Being literal aspie-typical.. they are brown. I think I have only met one person dark enough to call black in all my life. I've met a handful of white (either extreme is kinda disturbing to me in uncanny valley way).

On another note, because borderline albinism a few generations back, me and my kids actually to have white spots in our hair with platinum hair color and shows up when we tan.

I think the context dictates how I would react to it.

I always laugh when someone says, "You should just say they're slow instead of saying ret*d."
The word ret*d is literally French for slow, so I'm allowed to say slow in English but not in French? I don't get it, people have weird rules.

I really don't care much these days. I grew up at a time and in an area where the weird was generally just used as a synonym for stupid and was more often than not directed at ideas rather than people.

Like, ninety nine point nine nine percent of the human population on this planet ? probably including me so dont take my number too seriously