Special Olympics aims at ending the derogatory use of the "r-word"

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

This is kind of goofy. It's likely the intellectual disabilities that contribute to unemployment, rather than the terminology used to describe those with the disabilities.

Being mean to intellectually delayed or retarded people is immoral as far as I see it. Generally using words for these conditions to disparage others is an extension of this meanness. However, focusing on the use of any particular word is probably wastes a lot of energy that could go to actually improving the experiences of the folks we're talking about labeling, and it likely allows some people to feel like they are doing something to help disabled folks when they really aren't doing much. "I'm so sensitive; I can't stand to hear anyone say retarded."

In kind of an unrelated point, a friend of mine, who teaches special education and particularly worked with younger than school-aged kids, was often frustrated by how the contemporary names for intellectual disabilities made it difficult for parents to understand and accept their children's circumstances. While nobody wants to place unnecessary limits on any kid, your mom probably needs to understand what your IQ score means. She said parents understood what moderately or mildly retarded meant, but often didn't understand what the more up to date terms indicated. Changing terminology on its own doesn't do that much to changed the person's experience.

Semantics rears it's ugly head again. Changing the name without changing the intended meaning only makes people feel better until they realize that the same thing is being said. Now "special" has an ugly sound to it.