You know, I don’t see the problem here. Though the language is currently problematic, it’s a valid message.
I disagree with the language being problematic, since the dictionary definition of “retard” is literally to be held back or to hold back. Persons who are mentally held back are by definition being mentally retarded. It’s a valid clinical term.
It really is a shame that “retarded” became a word of disparagement and slang for those who are stupid. A word which is widely regarded as insulting more than anything else.
The other thing that saddens me is that while we have associations for people who are clearly and significantly mentally handicapped, when it comes to simple mental health for everyone else, it’s often regarded as a sign of weakness. Any attempt to seek help for any mental issues is generally looked down upon. There’s a large number of people who not only would benefit from mental health services but need them to lead fulfilling lives. So many people struggle with disorders that aren’t as obvious and have no facilities to seek help or even a diagnosis to understand themselves; at least not without significant personal resources at their disposal, which most lack.
That whole side of humanity generally just needs a small push to get to their potential, and they are often denied a chance to get that push. Either from economic barriers, or social stigma, or other reasons. We actively harm the potential of the race, in my opinion, by allowing those people to continue to struggle with disorders they don’t understand that may be able to be solved with a fairly simple prescription, or changes in their behaviors.
Given how massive this issue is and how easily it could be solved (by providing very basic mental health services to everyone who needs them), I’m continually disappointed in humanity as a whole that this is allowed to continue. This message, no matter what Barbara might say, or want to have happen with this message, it is one that should be repeated, perhaps with more modern terms, and such institutions as what is promoted here, should be maintained. There’s no shame in needing help; regardless if you are someone with a mental disorder, or full mental disability, those services should be made available.
Back in the 80s, many people lamented how the word gay had been “ruined” for them.
From that time, there was a sketch by Toronto’s comedy troupe The Kids In The Hall of a little old lady lamenting how the word removed had been ruined for her. Back in her day, a removed was a bundle of dry sticks, “on cold winter nights we’d huddle by the fireplace and we’d throw another removed in the fire”, she says with a sigh.
Then she goes on to say how she used to like fisting - calls it a needlepoint technique - until her friends told her what that word meant now.
She suspects that the word rambler might now mean something filthy, too. All those lovely old words, now tucked away, can’t use them anymore.As far as it becoming a word of disparagement and slang for those who are stupid - thats basically what constantly happens. A new word comes out and eventually it is used to insult people and then another new word starts being used.
For an example:
Is that the woman with the house that nobody’s supposed to see?
You mean this 2002 Kenneth & Gabrielle Adelman, California Coastal Records Project, photograph that she attempted to suppress in 2003?
Is that the photograph you were referring to? Then yes, you’re absolutely not supposed to see this.
I’m gonna save this picture just in case I want not to see it later.
In line with the wishes of Madam Streisand I have looked at everything in this picture except for the center, which is where I assume the house to be. One of you (Only one of you) may look at the house without disturbing the net number of time sthis house has been seen.
Do you think she’ll sue to have this one taken down too, inadvertently raising awareness of the increasing rate of children are born with special needs?
It’s been 20 years since that one incident, but maybe
Is this real?
I’m sure the ad is real, although I don’t know it for a fact. It is still a real organization, though the name changed 30ish years ago. It was between 10 and 15 years ago that Obama signed Rosa’s law, changing the words in federal law to “mental disability” or “an individual with an intellectual disability”.
Remember, there was a time when that wasn’t a pejorative term. It was a diagnosis. The way people used the word to “other” those with disabilities is what made it pejorative. Prior to that it was a neutral term.
A lot of terms used to make fun of intelligence used to be a diagnosis, like idiot and imbecile. That’s really neither here nor there, but I find it interesting how mental medical diagnoses become insults but physical ones don’t. I’ve never had someone yell “you play baseball like a paraplegic!” at me.
Spazz is a pejorative term derived from spasticity.
Oof.
I just looked up the history of ARC (previously NARC). It started in the 30’s when Retarded was the medical term for intellectual disability. Now that Retarded is a pejorative they changed their name to ARC (no longer an acronym) in the 90’s.
Looks pretty heinous today but when this ran it was probably an acceptable use of the word.
I can’t speak to the text of the PSA though, I got lost in the Wiki rabbit hole trying to figure that out.
- Invent a new name for an undesirable condition
- People start using this name as an insult
- Get offended that an insult is used to refer to people with said condition
- Go back to 1
In the UK people of a certain age remember Joey being an insult.
This is because Blue Peter, a popular kids show, had a segment on a heavily disabled man called Joey Deacon. Between him and his friends at the care home, they had written a small book, at a few words a day. This, they thought, would endear the disabled to the nation’s children, who would see that just because somebody cannot speak or move, they could still achieve something.
The next day, every playground was awash with kids calling each other Joey and grunting at each other.
Blue Peter really did not know us at all.
This has been up 6 hours and some lemming hasn’t shouted “REEEEE ABLEIST SLURRRRR!” from the rooftops? Color me surprised.
Ok, now climb down from that rooftop before you fall or something
This is why we have voluntary abortion.
Musks parents knows this feeling.
That’s very unwoke.
