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'''Retard (pejorative)''' |
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Retard (pejorative)
"Retard" when used as a noun is a word used to refer to people with mental disabilities[1]. An approximated 26.2 percent of Americans suffer from some form of mental disabilities[2]. The word retard was widely accepted in the mid-1900’s to refer to people with mental disabilities, however, it is no longer considered acceptable. Today, it is often used as an adjective to describe someone who is not acting in what is considered a socially acceptable manner.
Etymology
The word retard dates as far back as 1426. It stems from the Latin verb, retardare, meaning to hinder or make slow. Retard was not used to refer to mentally disabled people until 1985. At that time, it was widely accepted to refer to people who are mentally disabled as mentally retarded, or a retard. From there, it turned quickly into a pejorative term, as people began to use it interchangeably with words like stupid, or idiot. It is now no longer socially acceptable to use this term, however it is still commonly used despite the many campaigns that have fought to end the word. A common replacement for the word retard is the phrase “the r-word.”[3]
Modern Use
Retard in its modern usage is seemingly never used in its appropriate way. Instead of using the word retard to describe a medical handicap it is used as an insult and meant to degrade[4]. In this degrading sense the word retard is synonymous with stupid, idiot, loser, dumbass, and other words [5]. The word is extremely offensive to those with mental retardation because the r word is designed to degrade or hurt[6]. Since this word carries so many negative connotations several organizations are working to eradicate its usage.
Legislation
President Obama signed S. 2781 into law on October 5, 2010. Known as Rosa’s Law, it is a bill that changed references in Federal law to mental retardation to references to a mental disability, and it changed references to a mentally retarded individual to references to an individual with an intellectual disability[7]. Rosa’s Law was named after Rosa Marcellino, a nine-year-old girl with down syndrome. She worked with her parents to have words “mentally retarded” officially removed from health and education code in Maryland, her home state.[8]
Organizations and Campaigns
The most popular campaign against use of the word “retard” is an organization called R-Word. On its website, users can sign a pledge not to use the word in an inappropriate manner. It is supported by Special Olympics, Best Buddies, and 200 other organizations from across the globe[9]. Special Olympics athlete and Global Messenger John Franklin Stephens posted an open letter to Ann Coulter on the Special Olympics blog on October 23, 2012. His letter expressed concern with a tweet Coulter tweeted using “retard” to describe President Obama[10]. He had written an opinion piece about misuse of the word “retard” posted on the The Denver Post’s website in 2008.[11]
References
- ^ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retard
- ^ http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml#Intro
- ^ Mental retardation#Terminology
- ^ http://sites.psu.edu/lebold2012/2013/03/27/retarded-is-the-new-gay-rough-draft/
- ^ http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=retarded
- ^ http://www.parents.com/blogs/to-the-max/2013/03/06/autism/5-things-people-dont-get-about-the-word-retard/
- ^ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:s2781:
- ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/08/remarks-president-signing-21st-century-communications-and-video-accessib
- ^ http://www.r-word.org/
- ^ http://specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/an-open-letter-to-ann-coulter/
- ^ http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_10351963