I mean I'm autistic and adhd. I've been called retarded pretty much my whole life. To me it's like the nword at this point. The only difference is I'm not black so I'm not gonna be throwing that around.

[–] flicker@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

I'm pretty sure you were downvoted by someone angry that you referenced the nword, even though you were literally equating the use of the word as a slur to your own experience. Which is a bummer, because as a neurologically atypical person, it can be difficult even to speak out to address your own lived experience, and can also be difficult to know what to say to have neurologically typical people grasp what you're trying to express.

Which demonstrates why I bitch about people using the word "retarded" as an insult. When people with that lived experience do speak up, sometimes it can be difficult to make the point you're making in a way the greater population understands and BAM! Now you've pissed off everyone!

It's so ridiculous to me that there are people out there so proud, so attached to the words they use as insults that having someone else say, "You might be hurting someone other than the person you intend with that word, could you maybe pick another one?" outrages them.

And, let me just say, if you're too dim-witted to think up a better, more appropriate insult, you might be as stupid as the people you're trying to insult.