Is the word retard offensive?

See the title

If you see words like 'the n word' and 'chink' and 'paki' as offensive then 'retard' should be too. In other words yes, unless you're a bit of a **** bag.

Reply 2

MsFahima

20

Yes.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

7253567

OP

8

Original post by Jacky Hearts

If you see words like 'the n word' and 'chink' and 'paki' as offensive then 'retard' should be too. In other words yes, unless you're a bit of a **** bag.

Out of curiosity, why? I was never told that it was a particularly bad word and already used it as a bit of a throwaway comment you see.

Reply 4

ilovereading

2

I don't find the word "retard" offensive because nobody refers to people who are retarded as a "retard" any more. But I do find it offensive when people call others "autistic" because there are people with autism who are not dumb or stupid (which is usually what it is used in context with).

Reply 5

Jacky Hearts

9

It's an offensive term regarding people with serious and unfortunate mental disabilities. I personally don't appreciate its use because it's been used very offensively against a members of my family

Original post by Trouty97

Out if curiosity, why? I was never told that it was a particularly bad word and already used it as a bit of a throwaway comment you see.

Reply 6

Aardvark1998

18

Depends on the person really. One of my mates has cerebral palsy and we call him a retard just as much as everyone else in our group, I think he'd be more upset if we deliberately avoided calling him that to be honest. I definitely wouldn't use it in front of someone who I didn't know for a fact was okay with it though.

(just to be clear, we don't call my disabled friend a retard because he's disabled)

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7

7253567

OP

8

Original post by bad_moose

Depends on the person really. One of my mates has cerebral palsy and we call him a retard just as much as everyone else in our group, I think he'd be more upset if we deliberately avoided calling him that to be honest. I definitely wouldn't use it in front of someone who I didn't know for a fact was okay with it though.

(just to be clear, we don't call my disabled friend a retard because he's disabled)

If you used it as a throw away comment though, at no one in particular, would you say that it is offensivs

Reply 8

scrotgrot

16

Original post by Trouty97

Out of curiosity, why? I was never told that it was a particularly bad word and already used it as a bit of a throwaway comment you see.

Better to use moron or idiot. The euphemism treadmill goes:
medical -> offensive -> neutral

Moron and idiot are at the neutral stage. Retard and ******* are more modern medical lingo and thus are still at the offensive stage.

Is the word retard offensive?

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