Spread the Word to End the Word

[wendibird22]

Today 3-2-11 is Spread the Word to End the Word day. The r-word that is. I am committed to addressing this issue with my students, family, and friends when I hear it. Join me!

I also invite you to check out this great blog from a mom raising two special kids: http://www.doubledoseofspecial.com/. She's had a few great posts this week about her thoughts on the r-word.

[SkyrMommy]

Thank you for sharing such an important message. Her blog is wonderful and very well written. :hug:

[ohsara430]

I've been with you and everyone else who supports this for years! :thumbsup:

[g-mama]

Thank you for posting this. I am always in utter shock and disbelief when someone uses the word "retarded" to describe something or someone they think is stupid. Majorly offensive.

[daisymommy]

That word is so far out of the realm of my vocabulary I had to sit and think for a minute what on earth the r-word was!

I agree, what an awful word :(

[Green_Tea]

That word is so far out of the realm of my vocabulary I had to sit and think for a minute what on earth the r-word was!

I agree, what an awful word :(
:yeahthat:
It took me a minute, too!
Excellent message, thanks for sharing!

[elliput]

Thank you for posting this! For those who want more information- R-word. Spread the Word to End the Word. (http://r-word.org/)

[Gena]

Thank you for posting this!

[justlearning]

I don't say the r-word and find it offensive whenever I hear someone say it.

But I do have a question (sorry, I don't have time to read the links now). Is it still a word that is appropriate for clinicians to use when referring to a specific mental disability or is it no longer considered OK to use in any context?

[Gena]

But I do have a question (sorry, I don't have time to read the links now). Is it still a word that is appropriate for clinicians to use when referring to a specific mental disability or is it no longer considered OK to use in any context?

I am not a clinician, but I believe that it is becoming more common to say "developmental disability" or "cognitive disability".

In our state the "Department of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities" (MRDD) was renamed to just "Department of Developmental Diabilities" and all of the county agencies followed suit.

[LMPC]

I don't say the r-word and find it offensive whenever I hear someone say it.

But I do have a question (sorry, I don't have time to read the links now). Is it still a word that is appropriate for clinicians to use when referring to a specific mental disability or is it no longer considered OK to use in any context?

"Mental Retardation" is still used in the DSM to indicate IQ scores that fall below the average at different standard deviations. So I think more than 2 standard deviations is mild (maybe...can't quite remember where the cut off is). But my colleagues and I would be much more likely to use terms like cognitive disability than we would "mental retardation." I have never heard my colleagues use the term "mental retardation" actually.

[Kitten007]

That word is so far out of the realm of my vocabulary I had to sit and think for a minute what on earth the r-word was!

I agree, what an awful word :(

:yeahthat::yeahthat: I was like, uh what? Then I read the other posts and understood.

Thank you OP for addressing this nasty word! I make sure everyone I know does not say it. It makes me sick.

[Puddy73]

Thank you for sharing. I hear this word thrown around far too often and it makes me cringe.

[lizzywednesday]

After being reminded by my grandmother, who is herself a mom of someone with a developmental disability, that it's not a word to be thrown around lightly, I've become more conscious of eliminating it from my vocabulary.

My grandmother's reaction was a big ol' slap upside the head for me and I continuously remind DH that I find the term offensive because of my aunt.

Thanks for the links.

[MoJo]

That word is so far out of the realm of my vocabulary I had to sit and think for a minute what on earth the r-word was!

I agree, what an awful word :(

Me three.

[vludmilla]

I am not a clinician, but I believe that it is becoming more common to say "developmental disability" or "cognitive disability".

In our state the "Department of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities" (MRDD) was renamed to just "Department of Developmental Diabilities" and all of the county agencies followed suit.

I agree that those terms are more commonly used now. Intellectual disabilities is also used sometimes. In NY, the Office of MR and Developmental Disabilities was recently renamed the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

[mommylamb]

I don't say the r-word and find it offensive whenever I hear someone say it.

But I do have a question (sorry, I don't have time to read the links now). Is it still a word that is appropriate for clinicians to use when referring to a specific mental disability or is it no longer considered OK to use in any context?


My understanding is that you always say "person with ______" whatever the blank may be, so in this case "person with mental retardation." The idea being that this is a person first and foremost regardless of ability.

[indigo99]

I have a hard time with this because culturally I feel like this word came to just mean stupid/dumb when describing things/situations rather than people. I don't think that most people are even thinking anything else when they use it so I don't find it offensive. As mentioned, I think that other terms are used for actual people with disabilities now. I'm probably not explaining this well, but if the main association with the word is just "something that is dumb" and not "a person with disabilities" then being offended by it is just your own perception and you are the one applying it to people even if the speaker is not.

I know that this is a minority view so I try not to use it out of respect for those who obviously do find offense. However, I just don't see it.