I don’t know if it’s the circles I’m around or what, but this is not my experience at all. As someone with a nonverbal autistic loved one who was bullied with this slur, I disagree with the idea that it doesn’t cause harm to continue to use it. If someone uses it I ask that they don’t use it around me and that’s been respected. Language evolves over time, and we need to evolve away from using what was relatively recently a medical diagnosis as an insult.
Like don’t use it all? I mean I don’t know the last time I’ve said it but it does have uses besides calling people it. And why is it worse then stupid or slow dumb whatever as I imagine they where bullied with those words also.
I think it’s absolutely fair to ask someone not to use a word that you don’t care for around you. The problem arises when you attempt to make that everyone’s problem, not just yours.
I don’t know if it’s the circles I’m around or what, but this is not my experience at all. As someone with a nonverbal autistic loved one who was bullied with this slur, I disagree with the idea that it doesn’t cause harm to continue to use it. If someone uses it I ask that they don’t use it around me and that’s been respected. Language evolves over time, and we need to evolve away from using what was relatively recently a medical diagnosis as an insult.
Like don’t use it all? I mean I don’t know the last time I’ve said it but it does have uses besides calling people it. And why is it worse then stupid or slow dumb whatever as I imagine they where bullied with those words also.
I think it’s absolutely fair to ask someone not to use a word that you don’t care for around you. The problem arises when you attempt to make that everyone’s problem, not just yours.
Sounds like those bullies are fucking retards
The problem isn’t them being slow/delayed, it’s that they’re inhuman monsters. Hope this helps, words have specific meanings and all that :)
Personally, I think the problem was that they were being bullied, not what specific names they were being called.