How do you feel about the word ret*d?
It doesn't bother me, if not used to make fun of me having autism. For example, if someone says, "You're ret*d," "This is ret*d," etc., I don't care, it's just a word. I use it myself too when I'm with my friends, but not in public or around people I know are offended by it. It's different if you're referring to a person with severe autism or Down syndrome, i.e. "Look at that ret*d," then I think it's unacceptable. Same way the N-word is okay to a lot of people until it's used in a racist context.
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Re-appropriating words gets really boring anyway. That's the problem I see with modern AI, Siri & Watson were sold as the last word in creativity but I know plenty of PEOPLE who are exemplary creatively. AIs do not respond to questions rhetorically.
When did I ever say anything about how to arrange words? Half of us don't bother when we're programming.
Thread eschews dignity for everybody. Not somewhere you want to be seen.
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Seriously? Do you honestly think it matters if it offends you? The point is that it is offensive to people with that condition. Using that word when people mean to say something is stupid is extremely demeaning and insulting. I wouldn't expect someone of your age to understand that though. And by the way, it is not just a word. Try to be more mindful in the future, because right now you sound completely ignorant about what you're talking about. The word ret*d is not a substitute for the word stupid; if you want to call someone stupid, then use the word stupid, don't use a word that doesn't even mean the same thing, otherwise it sounds like you're insinuating that people with that condition are stupid, which certainly isn't the case. It's the same if someone uses the word gay in the same instances you mentioned.
^ kneejerk?
i'm pretty sure she was saying that she doesn't herself find offense in the use of the word for slang purposes. that's how i interpret it, anyway. i don't see why that doesn't matter to her, unless disabled people now claim ownership of the word?
you can choose what you say, but you can't choose what context others will take it in. and, words change or acquire new meaning all the time while often retaining their original ones.
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When someone asked me, "What are you, ret*d?" I laughed. It's very hard to offend me. I never feel offended when people call me stupid, a freak, ask what's wrong with me, or make jokes about my ethnicity. I know that not everyone is like that, though.
i too was 5 or 9 when i first heard the word,that when i turned 16,i would physically or socially blast any NT that's dumb enough to do or say that to me while being looked at funny
Let's make it simple, no bans just for the word, but moderator consideration for the context - "Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins." - Ben Franklin
I really don't like when people use it. That and people still using the word "gay" as an insult, I just don't get.
Even though I am neither, I find it offensive and I'd never use them myself. Although, I've also heard people use "autistic" as an insult directed towards people who are clearly neurotypical and that upsets me just as much.
Yes this type of discussion has some overlap with debates a few years ago about Aspies feeling insecure about being called "autistic" (coinciding with changes in DSMV)
When you cut to the core issue it was stigma surrounding the word "autism" being (coincidentally) associated with low function and retardation by the nuerotypical community. Similarly the connection between "disabled" and "autism" whereby many Aspies have (correctly) pointed out that Asergers doesn't necessarily make them feel disabled. No problems for me.
Fast forward to 2017 and most Aspies have (at least online) embraced autism but in order to delineate themselves from the so called lower functioning autistic people they use the term high functioning. Again no problem for me.
However in order to ingratiate themselves into nuerotypical society I feel much of the anti-disabled language thrown around by ignorant NTs is also enthusiastically used by those on the spectrum. I will admit that much of this use is not intentionally mean't to hurt people's feeling but (unfortunately) is clearly mirroring the ignorance of the wider community where people with clear intellectual disabilities are indeed offended.
Given most Aspies experience bullying then they should really not "ape" the ignorance of the bully culture which uses the r-word. I've attached the following article to demonstrate that for a disabled person who has been a victim of bullying - just hearing the r-word may be enough to trigger PTSD from years of bullying
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-shriv ... 30110.html
Please be more considerate (especially online) and desist from using this word
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I agree with the idea it is all about context. There is nothing offensive about saying for example "flame retardant" or "mental retardation was the old diagnosis for intellectual disability" . This story is front page news in New York because it is a horriffic use of the word. I am glad the New York Daily News used "ret*d" rather then "the r-word". As an Aspie I tend not to want euphemisms. Banning the use of words because bullies use them is a victory for the bullies who use those words. Should we ban "autism" or call it "the A-Word" because "autism" is a popular insult? Should we ban "aspie" because some people use it to disassociate themselves from other autistics? When does this stop, when do we stop running away?
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“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
I agree with the idea it is all about context. There is nothing offensive about saying for example "flame retardant" or "mental retardation was the old diagnosis for intellectual disability"
I don't think this is what people are concerned with when it (the r word) is used as a noun.
I doubt you would openly use the n-word or the f-word because people who are black or gay would be offended. But I could come up with a lame excuse that there is a country in Africa called Niger or that a Spanish person uses "negro" to talk about something black or that a pile of wood lit on fire is called a fa***t...we know that's not what offends
ASPartOfMe
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Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,244
Location: Long Island, New York
I agree with the idea it is all about context. There is nothing offensive about saying for example "flame retardant" or "mental retardation was the old diagnosis for intellectual disability"
I don't think this is what people are concerned with when it (the r word) is used as a noun.
I doubt you would openly use the n-word or the f-word because people who are black or gay would be offended. But I could come up with a lame excuse that there is a country in Africa called Niger or that a Spanish person uses "negro" to talk about something black or that a pile of wood lit on fire is called a fa***t...we know that's not what offends
Any use of these words offends a few people who are loud about it these days. Should we ban all use of these words because it is going to offend a few people? Should we only ban those words when it is used as a verb?
To me the WP rules against personal attacks should take care of offensive use of those words in most of the situations where those words are used as a verb. Anything else can slip into language policing/censorship
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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