Joe Rogan declared that the re-emergence of the disability slur "retard" is "one of the greatest cultural victories" on his podcast Thursday.
  • ameancow@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    17 days ago

    Not trying to be an ass here, just genuinely curious, the words “idiot” or “moron” or “imbecile” which were also in the same diagnostic tools as “retarded” so what makes them different?

    I have seen earnest attempts at starting movements to abolish these words as well, (and usually at that point a lot of people start tuning the conversation out,) so I’m wondering where people’s feelings are on the broader topic or if it’s the use of the singular word and how it’s used that bothers people the most.

    • LanguageIsCool@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      17 days ago

      I think, though I could be wrong, that when many of us were growing up, the words “idiot” and “moron” had already shifted meaning. So we learned them without the connotation of mental capacity and disabled people. But “retarded” still meant both things.