Language is supposed to be beautiful. People should not use it to hurt others with labels. A word becomes offensive when people turn it into negative stereotypes. Especially when it becomes exclusive and demeaning.
What you say matters. Everyone has his or her own unique capability and the world be a better place if this logic will be embraced. That is also the case why saying retarded is unacceptable. For this, advocacy groups had pushed The R Word Pledge, a movement created by a combined group of youth with and without mental disabilities.
The campaign aims to bring forth awareness in using more respectful language. Retarded is a word with a medical connotation. But then it became something far reaching than just a term used for those who are mentally challenged. It became a way for people to describe others as inadequate or dumb.
There are even ways on understanding why such an advocacy exists. People use different arguments that does not necessarily fall down to being concerned about the meanings words entails. And the power they have over someone. Mostly because you do not feel offended until it affects you.
That those who are disabled mentally should not be treated as any less human than the rest of us. That it is not right for others to make them feel that they have lesser value in humanity. To dispel these negative stereotypes, some groups dedicated themselves to encouraging others into focusing on the talents of individuals.
Using it even as a means of playful banter still hurts because you cannot change the fact that it is associated to people who are intellectually disabled. Advocates believes that they should be able to enjoy their individuality. That others should not refer casually to them with words that dehumanizes.
By calling them retarded, they draw some sort of analogy that it is socially unacceptable. They too, can have positive contributions to the community. That is why advocacy groups wants people to recognize their skills, talents and contributions. So that others would not have to focus on what they cannot do, or cope up with.
Recognize that the word is a form of hate speech. Understand how much it hurts when you hate. The thing is, you get this excuse sometimes. You do not realize that you are hating. But that is exactly what it feels like to them and their families. Your tendency to dismiss them is more hateful than anything could ever be.
Stop using the word to describe something you do not like. Again, it does not help anybody. It will always entail and go back to people who have a mental condition. Using it casually will still be fallout. Most people do not think of it as hate speech. But that is exactly what it had become. And that is what it feels like to their families and to them, most of all, encouraging concerned individuals in wanting to eliminate it, altogether.
What you say matters. Everyone has his or her own unique capability and the world be a better place if this logic will be embraced. That is also the case why saying retarded is unacceptable. For this, advocacy groups had pushed The R Word Pledge, a movement created by a combined group of youth with and without mental disabilities.
The campaign aims to bring forth awareness in using more respectful language. Retarded is a word with a medical connotation. But then it became something far reaching than just a term used for those who are mentally challenged. It became a way for people to describe others as inadequate or dumb.
There are even ways on understanding why such an advocacy exists. People use different arguments that does not necessarily fall down to being concerned about the meanings words entails. And the power they have over someone. Mostly because you do not feel offended until it affects you.
That those who are disabled mentally should not be treated as any less human than the rest of us. That it is not right for others to make them feel that they have lesser value in humanity. To dispel these negative stereotypes, some groups dedicated themselves to encouraging others into focusing on the talents of individuals.
Using it even as a means of playful banter still hurts because you cannot change the fact that it is associated to people who are intellectually disabled. Advocates believes that they should be able to enjoy their individuality. That others should not refer casually to them with words that dehumanizes.
By calling them retarded, they draw some sort of analogy that it is socially unacceptable. They too, can have positive contributions to the community. That is why advocacy groups wants people to recognize their skills, talents and contributions. So that others would not have to focus on what they cannot do, or cope up with.
Recognize that the word is a form of hate speech. Understand how much it hurts when you hate. The thing is, you get this excuse sometimes. You do not realize that you are hating. But that is exactly what it feels like to them and their families. Your tendency to dismiss them is more hateful than anything could ever be.
Stop using the word to describe something you do not like. Again, it does not help anybody. It will always entail and go back to people who have a mental condition. Using it casually will still be fallout. Most people do not think of it as hate speech. But that is exactly what it had become. And that is what it feels like to their families and to them, most of all, encouraging concerned individuals in wanting to eliminate it, altogether.
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When you are looking for the facts about the R word pledge, go to the web pages online here today. More details can be seen at http://familymemberinc.org now.
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