When I was younger, I used the word retard. I heard a lot of people saying it; kids in class would use it to describe something silly or stupid. My friends and I used to describe ourselves as retards or doing something that was retarded. It seemed acceptable because everyone I knew was using that word. Three years ago, I became involved with an organization for people with disabilities, and created new friendships with the participants. This was my first experience with people with disabilities. I have met people with Autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, developmental disabilities, ADHD, and other disabilities, and I have stopped using the word retard or retarded completely because I learned what the word truly means and how it affects these individuals. What does retard really mean? It used to be a medical term to classify a person who develops and processes information slower than a typical person. Today the word retard has become an overused synonym for stupid. Using the word retard segregates people. It makes people feel different. Educating people about the use of the word retard or retarded is what is going to make change; the word retard is going to be used less casually, not using the word retard is going to create an inclusive community, and lastly, it wont hurt peoples feelings.
Many people think that the word retard is acceptable because it was part of a medical term. In late 2010, President Obama signed a law that bans using the word retarded or retardation in medical, educational, and labour laws. The new law is called Rosas Law, which is named after a young girl who has Down syndrome. Rosas family advocated for change in their home state, Maryland, which eventually lead to change for all the states. The new law also focuses on person-first language. Instead of being mentally retarded individual, it is now politically correct to say an individual with an intellectual disability (American Psychological Association, n.
