r/Teenager_Polls • u/Unable_Passenger_394 • 11d ago

Poll Is “retarded” a slur?

8234 votes, 8d ago
4256 Yes
3978 No
81 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

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u/HystericalGD 11d ago

autistic person here, 99% of the time i see it being used is not in attacking that group of people. i do not feel offended or attacked by it in any way

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u/klight101 autistic loner 10d ago

My experience has been different growing up. People always called each other that word and even regularly called me that after they found out i was autistic. The word should be considered a slur even if it affects very few people. No one getting offended is far better than few people getting offended.

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u/New_Solution_6523 10d ago

If you’re tryna appease the minority you’re stupid. Something will always offend someone. There’s never not someone not offended. If you lived by that sort of framework nothing would ever get done cause you couldn’t do nothing, all because someone might get offended.

Straight stupid pearl clutching, you’ll be fine I’m sure.

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u/klight101 autistic loner 10d ago

Anyone who wants society to improve in any way is stupid. Got it

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u/New_Solution_6523 10d ago

You’re not improving society though, you’re not doing it cause you’re worried someone’s feelings might get hurt?

What kind of logic is that? Applying that to life is plain stupid. Just cause some idiot doesn’t like a thing doesn’t mean you just shouldn’t. Again, you missed the point.

You can’t cater to everyone.

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u/klight101 autistic loner 10d ago

So i should not feel empathy and understanding for the other people who get upset by this word? Because it’s impossible to cater to everyone?

What downside is there to making this word socially unacceptable? I only see it as a good thing it gets considered an offensive slur because it would be said a lot less meaning less people who get offended. Isn’t this better for society?

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u/New_Solution_6523 10d ago

Wouldnt it better for the word to be on the same caliber of dumb or stupid?

Which is happening literally as we speak.

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u/klight101 autistic loner 10d ago

Even if its meaning changes its historical significance will never change. It will always remain a harmful term even if it someday got a lighter definition by society. The word will remain harmful to the people who know its significance. It’s better the word is forbidden and considered a slur.

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u/New_Solution_6523 10d ago

It will not always remain a harmful term if it isn’t used in that way? That’s how words work and evolve, it’s based on the intention of the people who use it. If it wasn’t, then words would be kinda stupid, because it would no longer represent what people actually use it for. You lose alot when you start to look at words in that light.

It’s not of the same caliber as the n word. It’s not something that has that same historical depth and hatefulness. You’re acting like it’s somehow similar, it’s not, people don’t use it like that, and that matters.

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u/DogEfficient4539 10d ago

im autistic too and i have the opposite experience. and i did say it was also to do with things like down syndrome. not every
thing said about nuerological conditions is about us

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u/klight101 autistic loner 10d ago

Just because it does not apply to us does not mean the word is automatically acceptable. It’s still affecting other groups.

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u/DogEfficient4539 9d ago

i wasnt saying it was acceptable, and i 100% agree with you

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u/PermissionTime2545 11d ago

The term isn’t meant for autistic people! Omg I’m so sick of hearing this. I’m autistic too, and we really got to realize that not all things that refer to mental handicaps also refer to us. Jesus Christ.

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u/klight101 autistic loner 10d ago

Ok but it’s still offensive against the people the term did describe. The word should never be considered acceptable.