Okay, so I have a friend that uses the R slur, I told them it's wrong and how's that ableist to people. They said it isn't, that people in their city does it all the time (they're from America) and we kinda had a long argument about it. Questioning cus I still see bunch of people, specially here uses it and I don't see people call them out like they do with the N word. Like, I just don't get it. People say it proudly to insult someone, when they shouldn't be cus isn't it a slur? I know slurs are meant to be offensive but I'm just confused as to WHY people aren't like mad enough about it. Cus I almost broke my friendship with that person who said they won't say it in front of me, i let it slide cus maybe I'm overreacting.
Just in case you're wondering, according to the Special Olympics website, use intellectual disability, but NEVER EVER the r-word when referring to a person with Down Syndrome.
You absolutely are in the right here; the thing about slurs is they have a history related to groups of people discriminated against, which makes using them no matter the context bad. The only pass on using them that I can say is if the person saying it belongs to that specific group the word is used against. We call that reclaiming a word for that specific group of people. The answer as to why people still commonly use the R slur is unfortunately diverse, but in this instance I would say it’s so ingrained in some peoples vocabulary they’re ignoring the actual hurtful history of the word. It’s like how some people will use gay as an insult or make a racially mocking accent. People and everyone around them do something for so long that to anyone inside of that mindset it appears completely normal. I don’t know what kind of area your friend lives in but me personally my parent would whoop my ass if I used a slur like that lol. It’s normal in only certain old fashioned mindsets.
It's a slur. However, this website is an amalgamation of users from around the world, so it may be a slur in one country, but not in another country. Also, due to the false belief of anonymity many commenters write offensive words they would definitely not use in real life amongst a mixed crowd of people to further show their immaturity.
I think it's in the middle of transitioning into a word that more and more people know not to use. When I was a kid people used it all the time and it was offensive then and offensive now but I think there is less social acceptance of using it now with more exposure and acceptance of disability rights and advocacy. I think it is still used pretty dominantly in online gamer communities and by older generations. And of course there is resistance to what people call "political correctness" so some people just refuse change their language even if the change is advocated for by the people who it most effects. For example, when I say "unhoused" people instead of "homeless" people I have had people scoff and make super rude remarks about the changing of this language (which is purposed with retaining unhoused peoples humanity).
A lot of people just don't care and don't even consider it a slur since it has been used as an insult for so long. Ableism runs deep in america and is often over looked and not held at the same standard as racism or homophobia, so the R slur is seen as a " lesser " slur by a lot of people, especially men. To put it into simpler terms, a lot of people view the R slur as just another insult meaning " Idiot " and don't care about the history or weight behind the word.
it is ableist. I urge people to change that habit. it's troublesome because people will otherwise make good points on here and then use it as an insult. it's a failing of mine that I haven't pushed back against it when I see it like I should, but it's felt a little futile because of how people react when you try to correct them on language. plus I think there's a lot of people using the n word when they shouldn't, too, and some think they're getting around it because they don't type out the whole word. when I was a kid, it was a common insult but there was some campaigning/PSAs (kinda) about being careful with language and respecting people with disabilities, so it tapered off, at least in the spaces/places I was in. I would say that it was commonly used during the Bush admin, tapered off during the Obama years, maybe it was making a comeback in places I wasn't familiar with before the current administration but I noticed it was being used more online after Trump got elected the second time. I think there were some online subcultures where it was still in circulation and it eventually breached containment to wider use. we live in reactionary times, and culture reflects that. the current administration appeals to some people because they feel they don't have to be "politically correct" and show any consideration towards people they deem "lesser" a.k.a they can let their bigotry shine.
As a person with a disability, it's always been considered rude, disrespectful and distasteful to use that word. People don't think before they use slurs generally.
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Just in case you're wondering, according to the Special Olympics website, use intellectual disability, but NEVER EVER the r-word when referring to a person with Down Syndrome.
You absolutely are in the right here; the thing about slurs is they have a history related to groups of people discriminated against, which makes using them no matter the context bad. The only pass on using them that I can say is if the person saying it belongs to that specific group the word is used against. We call that reclaiming a word for that specific group of people. The answer as to why people still commonly use the R slur is unfortunately diverse, but in this instance I would say it’s so ingrained in some peoples vocabulary they’re ignoring the actual hurtful history of the word. It’s like how some people will use gay as an insult or make a racially mocking accent. People and everyone around them do something for so long that to anyone inside of that mindset it appears completely normal. I don’t know what kind of area your friend lives in but me personally my parent would whoop my ass if I used a slur like that lol. It’s normal in only certain old fashioned mindsets.
It's a slur. However, this website is an amalgamation of users from around the world, so it may be a slur in one country, but not in another country. Also, due to the false belief of anonymity many commenters write offensive words they would definitely not use in real life amongst a mixed crowd of people to further show their immaturity.
I think it's in the middle of transitioning into a word that more and more people know not to use. When I was a kid people used it all the time and it was offensive then and offensive now but I think there is less social acceptance of using it now with more exposure and acceptance of disability rights and advocacy. I think it is still used pretty dominantly in online gamer communities and by older generations. And of course there is resistance to what people call "political correctness" so some people just refuse change their language even if the change is advocated for by the people who it most effects. For example, when I say "unhoused" people instead of "homeless" people I have had people scoff and make super rude remarks about the changing of this language (which is purposed with retaining unhoused peoples humanity).
A lot of people just don't care and don't even consider it a slur since it has been used as an insult for so long. Ableism runs deep in america and is often over looked and not held at the same standard as racism or homophobia, so the R slur is seen as a " lesser " slur by a lot of people, especially men. To put it into simpler terms, a lot of people view the R slur as just another insult meaning " Idiot " and don't care about the history or weight behind the word.
it is ableist. I urge people to change that habit. it's troublesome because people will otherwise make good points on here and then use it as an insult. it's a failing of mine that I haven't pushed back against it when I see it like I should, but it's felt a little futile because of how people react when you try to correct them on language. plus I think there's a lot of people using the n word when they shouldn't, too, and some think they're getting around it because they don't type out the whole word.
when I was a kid, it was a common insult but there was some campaigning/PSAs (kinda) about being careful with language and respecting people with disabilities, so it tapered off, at least in the spaces/places I was in. I would say that it was commonly used during the Bush admin, tapered off during the Obama years, maybe it was making a comeback in places I wasn't familiar with before the current administration but I noticed it was being used more online after Trump got elected the second time. I think there were some online subcultures where it was still in circulation and it eventually breached containment to wider use.
we live in reactionary times, and culture reflects that. the current administration appeals to some people because they feel they don't have to be "politically correct" and show any consideration towards people they deem "lesser" a.k.a they can let their bigotry shine.
As a person with a disability, it's always been considered rude, disrespectful and distasteful to use that word. People don't think before they use slurs generally.
replying cause I have the same question
What's the R slur
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/es/diccionario/ingles-espanol/retarded