Stop using the R word

[Devlyn]

Let's put some traction behind this! Take the pledge!

                                                                                        Action Pledge

Take the original R-Word "My Words Matter" Pledge by Jenna Glatzer:

"I pledge that I will not use the words "retard" or "retarded" to mean "stupid." I understand that this is hurtful to people who have disabilities and people who love them, so I will be careful with my words. I will also try to remember to pay attention when other people use these words, and I'll ask them to stop. "

http://therword.org/

[Ms Grace]

I don't need to pledge, haven't used it for over 15 years...

[Jill F]

Retard is a verb, not a noun.

[Devlyn]

Good on ya, Grace!

[Devlyn]

Retard is a verb, not a noun.

That's right!

[Ms Grace]

Having a friend with a beautiful Downs Syndrome daughter made me realise pretty quickly how destructive language can be for marginalised and disadvantaged people, as if being trans and having to deal with the T word wasn't obvious enough!

[MelissaAnn]

I don't need to take the plunge either I never have and never will use of this word. I've always felt it to be very degrading because my father used it on me. I never have stood by and let anybody else use it in my presence.

[King Malachite]

I won't take the pledge as I really don't use that word, but I will say "Ridiculous" is a great subsitute.

"You are ridiculous."

"This is ridiculous."

[NathanielM]

I'm going the join the others on this. I've never used that word for anything or anyone. Honestly it's not hard to see that words can hurt people, and while i agree constantly watching what you say isn't an option some things can be done without much effort.

I make it a policy to not use words I feel are used wrongly or as an insult for more then just the person you use it for. And when people politely point out they're hurt by the way I say something I'll simply apologize, same thing as bumping into someone really. Just say sorry and move on.

[Jill F]

I'm not into using perjoratives of any kind.  If someone is being an a*hole, I just call them an a*hole.  If someone is being a d-bag, I just call them a d-bag. 

[Pikachu]

I haven't used it since I was in grade school and it was the "cool" thing to say. Of course, no one was using it against anyone with an actual disability back then... but it still just made us look dumb. Like most everything else we said and did at that age. And I can't imagine saying it now. It feels so childish to call someone that. Do people still use that, even? I'm surprised there are enough people using it to warrant a pledge. I haven't heard it in so long that I had no clue what the "R word" was even referring to until I read it.

[Devlyn]

I haven't used it since I was in grade school and it was the "cool" thing to say. Of course, no one was using it against anyone with an actual disability back then... but it still just made us look dumb. Like most everything else we said and did at that age. And I can't imagine saying it now. It feels so childish to call someone that. Do people still use that, even? I'm surprised there are enough people using it to warrant a pledge. I haven't heard it in so long that I had no clue what the "R word" was even referring to until I read it.

Oh, it's alive and well, trust me......

[Devlyn]

Yays to everyone who doesn't need to pledge, I'm proud of all of you for already dropping this term!    I found this Public Service Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T549VoLca_Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Jaime R D]

I don't use it unless I'm talking about slowing some process or something down and its clear in my use that its for that purpose. When I was growing up, my grandmother worked at a state mental hospital in Georgia and she would use poor terminology for them and it always bugged me.

[Devlyn]

I don't use it unless I'm talking about slowing some process or something down and its clear in my use that its for that purpose. When I was growing up, my grandmother worked at a state mental hospital in Georgia and she would use poor terminology for them and it always bugged me.

  Bless you!

[Nicodeme]

I'm not a fan of the NEVER EVER NOT EVER A ONCE SAY IT thing.

My older sister is profoundly mentally retarded. That's why I don't say it as an insult. Because it has an established use as a diagnostic term. I fully intend to continue using it when I have to talk about her diagnosis, and I don't think people take that usage into account.

[Bombadil]

This thread is making me happy.

My brain is not wired right. I've had so many different labels applied to me over the years that I'm just going to stick with that description. In school I was developmentally behind the other kids in pretty much everything. I was mocked often with the R word. I was teased and bullied for being in special ed classes. I dealt with teachers who saw me as a problem.

So I hate that word. Unless of course it's used in the way Nicodeme is talking about. That's something different. I don't think that's a current diagnosis but I may be wrong and it may depend on where you are it. As a diagnosis there shouldn't be any shame in the word, just like there should be no shame in the word trasngender. It's just a descriptor then, not a judgement.

[Arch]

I don't use this word, and I haven't heard anyone else use this word in at least a decade--not even my students. A couple of years ago, they used to use "gay" a lot, of course.

[rosinstraya]

Well said, Devlyn. It is an ugly word.

[Servalan]

Why stop there, what about "idiot", "imbecile" and "moron"?