As you all know, I work with the developmentally disabled population. My clients all have some sort of disability that causes them cognitive and/OR physical slowness in development. Some of my clients are babies, some are 95 years old. Some live in their own homes. Some live in group homes. Some live in nursing homes. Some communicate like you and I do, some do not. Some use sign language. Some have no communication skills whatsoever. Some can walk, some cannot. Some can toilet, dress, feed, and bathe themselves and some cannot. Some can manage their emotions/behaviors within a reasonable manner, and some cannot. Some of my clients can read/write and work, and some cannot.
My clients are all human beings. They all have hearts. They all have souls. As such, they all deserve respect.
Please stop using the word "retard" as an insult/comment/descriptor in your life. While you likely mean no disrespect or bigotry, it is an offensive and disrespectful term. Much like the "n" word, or using "gay" to describe something in a negative way, it originated as a descriptor to label many of my clients. It has become common slang language and used in light-hearted and "comical" ways to negatively describe a person. It is disrespectful and offensive.
We are all humans. We all need to be treated with respect. For those of you who have never stopped to think about how that word can hurt others, you no longer have the excuse of not having thought about it. You are thinking of it now. Stop using it. It hurts.
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1 comment:
Totally just posted something very similar. ;)
I, too, find the use of that word completely offensive. Maybe it's the type of work we do? Thanks for putting it out there! ;)
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