Wikepedia states
“Much like today’s socially acceptable terms idiot and moron, which are also defined as some sort of mental disability, when the term retard is being used in its pejorative form, it is usually not being directed at people with mental disabilities. Instead, people use the term when teasing their friends or as a general insult.”
Is it only a slur if directed at soneone with mental disabilities? Is it a slur if durected at onself?
Whats lemmies take on this?
I’m autistic and both me and my autistic friends call ourselves retarded all the time lol. I’d rather be called that than “neurodiverse” or whatever the euphemism treadmill has come up with.
(As an aside, it’s also an engineering term, for it’s original meaning, slow down)
I love how people are dictating to you how you are allowed to use a word that describes yourself. Its like telling a black man he cant say the n-word (i would type it and put it in " but can almost guarantee ill be banned for doing that) because its racist.
It means you are not afraid. Because most people are really worried about someone telling them that they are being racist, insulting, or whatever they come up with. The definition of being these things is up to the person, not you. So you are a racist if you are being called a racist by someone, appearently. :)
Maybe you can tell that im mostly laughing at the politically correct movement of today… :)
You have to differentiate. Calling your friends stuff is one thing, doing so to others is something different. It still is a slur, no matter what it has been years ago, and it will hurt somebody.
But yeah, we use it too from time to time. I am autistic myself and so are most of my friends. But my preferences or my condition doesn’t give me some special right to act like a jackass to others.
I mean, at the very least we can try.
You’re a real one for that one, my R word.
the engineering term is a different word with different pronunciation. It’s not even a noun.