Use of Intellectually Disabled vs. Retarded?

Question

I've been hearing the use of Intellectually Disabled frequently lately by groups that advocate the rights of disabled people which are boycotting the new Ben Stiller movie. I have a 14 year-old brother with Down Syndrome, and I think the word Intellectually Disabled sounds worse than Mentally Retarded. I'd rather hear the term Mentally Disabled, Developmentally Disabled, or Mentally Retarded be used than Intellectually Disabled. I thik Intellectually Disabled makes people with mental disabilities seem like they're not smart enough, and that's not the case. My little brother is developmentally disabled, meaning he doesn't have the ability to think and process things the way a typical person his age would. With emphasis, any of these words can sound offensive, and I don't think Ben Stiller made it sound offensive. He used it in a playful manner like most of us did when we were kids. I think Intellectually Disabled sounds detrimental no matter what emphasis you use it with. I'd like to know other peoples' thoughts.

Answer 1

Here we are again back to this pc...I think we talk about this subject ever few days...

We can talk about this til were black and blue in the face and nobody going to agree or disagree with this subject...Everybody is different and have different feeling on what the disabled being mentally or physical what to be called or..to me it don't matter..I refuse to be cough up in all this..If we let something like this eat us up...then your not living to your true potential,

LETS GO METS

Answer 2

Why not just ask the people with disabilities what they want to be called? Most likely, they'll give you their names. Beyond that, just say "person with disability" and if someone inquires what their disability is, you can name the specific disability (in your brother's case, Down syndrome). Makes it a whole lot simpler, I think.

Answer 3

Since when does the r word sound better then intellectually disabled or impaired (as I heard as term in queensland)  

While people with an intellectually disability have varying degrees of learning rates.  They do fall behind the 8 ball in one or more areas.

They are people first

A challenge is something that hard but within reach of passing

r****d is used to slow down the drying speed of paint.  

secondly I agree with willochick that children are teased with the word retarded and mentally

Answer 4

Research "People First Language" (PFL) on the Internet. "People First Language" (PFL) is being used within the Disability Community.

These Politically Correct words are from the "People First Language" (PFL).

1. "Intellectual Disability"

2. "Learning Disability"

3. "Cognitive Disability"  

4. "Developmental Disability"

5. "Developmental Delay"

Answer 5

People should be allowed to use whichever words they want if a child is mentally Retarded you should be able to call him mentally retarded without having large heavy things thrown at you for discriminating. I mean so long as you're not pointing and laughing saying hahaha he's a r****d then mentally retarded shouldn't be considered offensive.

Someone with spastic cerebral palsy does suffer from spastic cerebral palsy there are no two ways about it..people can't suddenly change the medical term because it might be a bit to offensive, the new term will eventually be considered offensive.

Same goes with retarded that is what people would have been called year back and that's the medical term that should be used.....

i mean eventually the word disabled will become taboo, then mentally challenged... it's ridiculous. x

Answer 6

mentally  changllend

Answer 7

I agree with you.

Answer 8

The word "retarded" or "a r****d" is considered offensive because too often it is used as an insult, whether the person has a disability or not. I'm not sure intellectually disabled is a much better term - it sounds like a learning disability, and if that is what it means, just say it like that. Having trouble learning isn't the same as being considered stupid. Of all the terms you've suggested, I'm thinking "a person with a developmental disability" would be the most politically correct and the least offensive.

Hope that helped

Answer 9

I have known a great many people who I'd describe as being 'Intellectually Disabled' but who are not 'mentally disabled' or 'limited in their ability to process information'.

Many seemingly just cannot be bothered to 'process information' and, for example, understand that there is a difference between 'dumb' and 'stupid' ~ and telling them that there are different words for differing states for a reason, just does not compute for them.

Put at it's simplest, there are as many shades of gray as there are of blue, and it is a matter of trying to find the right title or description for the one which suites your / our personal meanings that generates the conflict.

..Or, so it seems to me.

Some years back, I knew a woman who was INCREDIBLY incensed that a psychologist had 'DARED to describe her as "Cognitively Impaired'' ....whilst being unable to see that a description of someone who was 'colour blind' would have the same end result......  And in effect, the diagnosis and Psychologist was correct.

Sash.

Answer 10

"Intellectually disabled" may not be a completely accurate description, but it is a better than some of the alternatives.

"Mentally retarded" implies that the mental processes are only slower than average. I have a processing disorder, so I have a lot of difficulty with thinking fast, but most of my other abilities are about average.

"Developmentally disabled" is pretty accurate too, but it is too broad. Autism Spectrum Disorders are developmental disabilities but many people with ASDs are only affected in socialization and communication.

Multiple Development Delays might be a better description...

I believe the issue here is that "intellectual" is implying that low IQ=low intellect, and this is often not true.

Also, about Tropic Thunder: most of the things in that movie could easily be perceived as more offensive than the "Simple Jack" references.

Answer 11

I often use 'Mentally Retarded' when referring to persons with such a disability.  However, this can offend people as well.  I have come to learn that 'Mentally Challenged' are the best words to use.  This does not imply that someone is stupid, retarded or any other word that ignorant people use to describe people with mental disabilities.  'Intellectually Disabled' sounds ridiculous.  To me, it sounds as if it describes one as not intelligent, when this is not the case.  God bless your brother.

Answer 12

i dont understand what your trying to say? sorry, can you be specific?  

Answer 13

When I started working in the public school system almost thirty years ago, we were told to classify students as Mildly Mentally Retarded (or moderately, severely, or profoundly, depending).  That was the official term.  Along the way it changed to Mildly Mentally Disabled, mild cognitive delays, and I think most recently Developmentally Delayed (Mild).  I've never seen or heard a parent be glad when they received this news, regardless what label we were told to put on the paperwork.  I know people who choose and use all the words that have been mentioned here:  retarded, delayed, challenged, impaired, in some combination or other with developmentally, intellectually, cognitively, mentally -- that's sixteen different combinations right there.  Therefore, I have to conclude that it's up to the individual and his/her family as to how they choose to call themselves.  Some choose to get condition-specific:  Down Syndrome, Autism, hydrocephaly, Turner's Syndrome, or whatever the case.  What seems most important to me is that everyone remember that this individual is A Person With (whatever), not a (name of condition).  Such as a Person With Autism rather than "an autistic", a Person With Mental Retardation (if that's what they choose) rather than "a r****d".  Because each individual is a Person first......  

Answer 14

When was the last time you heard a person call a person intellectually disabled across a playground in order to insult them? You can't even abbreviate in some way to make it sound offensive.

Now think how often you have heard r****d? And now Ben Stiller has added to the lexicon "full r****d" - an insult that did not even exist until Tropic Thunder.

I am the parent of a 25 year old with Down syndrome. Most of the time all he has to say is he is disabled and if he wants to say more he says I have Down syndrome. We rarely use cognitive or intellectual disability - and never use mentally retarded or mentally challenged as BOTH are offensive. (Disability is not a challenge - that discounts the very real nature of what people with disabilities live with.)

Mentally retarded is a misunderstood concept. Most people seem to think a person with it stops growing and maturing and nothing is further from the truth. People stop growing and changing when they stop being challenged and offered opportunities.

The term mentally retarded has a long history of people being abused. The abuse is connected to the label of mental retardation.

People who have been labeled this way don't want this label to be used any longer and that should be good enough for anyone.

Answer 15

i would just say disabled but even that sounds bad.

Answer 16

What ever happened to the term "mentally challenged"? As you said any of the terms can  be seen as offensive.

I don't mind advocacy groups when they're going after something that's really important, but boycotting a movie for this reason seems futile.Movies are made for entertainment purposes, if they were calling this movie a documentary then yes, call for the boycott. For those who find it offensive the best thing to do is NOT SEE IT.

I think they're time would be spent better policing schools for the individuals who pick on the disabled kids and educating them about these illnesses rather than go after big entertainment. They could spend their time educating higher learning institutions and corporate companies, but then the media wouldn't be reporting it. Guess they want to have their moment in the "spot light"~  

Answer 17

I use Intellectually Disabled but that is what is used most often in my country (Australia)

One advantage to this is that it does set those disabilities aside from mental illnesses. Which with terms such as mentally retarded, mentally challenged etc is something which occurs sometimes.

I agree with you that it does sound like the people are "less smart" when the term intellectually disabled is used as it puts the emphasis on the intellect though.

The term retarded though is losing favour mostly due to it's use as a term to tease people who are not retarded.

I haven't seen the movie concerned yet so I'm not going to comment on that as I don't feel that I am qualified to as I know nothing about it.

Answer 18

This is the first time I have ever heard the expression/term "intellectually disabled".  

I agree with preferring to hear "mentally disabled".  

But if someone just asked me what I consider "intellectually disabled" to be without any reference to "mentally disabled" then I would say something like, "I think the majority of the general population is intellectually disabled as they don't question anything, practice blind obedience and prefer to listen to what they want to hear without hearing the other side in order to make an informed decision".

So, IMO....51%+  of the general population is "intellectually disabled".  

Answer 19

I agree. People's casual use of the word "r****d" (grrrrrr....) has given the term "mentally retarded" a demeaning connotation. "Intellectually Disabled" sounds like a sugar coated way of saying "stupid" which is nothing near being mentally retarded or developmentally disabled. Some of the stupidest people I know have college degrees.....

Answer 20

I agree with you, I think they both sound derogative.  

Answer 21

intellectually or developmentally challenged is the PC term, as disabled is regarded as a non PC term, the preferred term being ' differently able '

Answer 22

I personally would not use either word. My son has Downs Syndrome and my other son has health problems too. I would never eve use those words. But everyone is inititled to their own opinion.  When someone asks we just say one son has Down Syndrome and the other one has developmental delays.

Answer 23

docts do not say the r word nor do other professionals. the word is now developmentally delayed and there are levels. mild moderate profound and severe. go look them up.