I like how a word starts as a technical/medical term for a disability, then it’s used as a slur, then they come up with a new term….repeat. It’s happening now with “learning disability” and “intellectually challenged”.
Also, as someone with a learning disability, ableism is a big part of my life but people using the word retard in stupid throwaway jokes really doesn’t even register as an issue.
It’s interesting how words change meaning. For instance the National Spastics Society changed their name to Scope when “spastic” started being used as a really bad slur. On the other hand words like “idiot”, “cretin”, and “moron” have really horrible historical uses as slurs against the disabled but they’re all understood to be pretty casual insults now.
I like how a word starts as a technical/medical term for a disability, then it’s used as a slur, then they come up with a new term….repeat. It’s happening now with “learning disability” and “intellectually challenged”.
Also, as someone with a learning disability, ableism is a big part of my life but people using the word retard in stupid throwaway jokes really doesn’t even register as an issue.
It’s interesting how words change meaning. For instance the National Spastics Society changed their name to Scope when “spastic” started being used as a really bad slur. On the other hand words like “idiot”, “cretin”, and “moron” have really horrible historical uses as slurs against the disabled but they’re all understood to be pretty casual insults now.