I don’t know if it’s the circles I’m around or what, but this is not my experience at all. As someone with a nonverbal autistic loved one who was bullied with this slur, I disagree with the idea that it doesn’t cause harm to continue to use it. If someone uses it I ask that they don’t use it around me and that’s been respected. Language evolves over time, and we need to evolve away from using what was relatively recently a medical diagnosis as an insult.
Like don’t use it all? I mean I don’t know the last time I’ve said it but it does have uses besides calling people it. And why is it worse then stupid or slow dumb whatever as I imagine they where bullied with those words also.
I think it’s absolutely fair to ask someone not to use a word that you don’t care for around you. The problem arises when you attempt to make that everyone’s problem, not just yours.
I don’t know if it’s the circles I’m around or what, but this is not my experience at all. As someone with a nonverbal autistic loved one who was bullied with this slur, I disagree with the idea that it doesn’t cause harm to continue to use it. If someone uses it I ask that they don’t use it around me and that’s been respected. Language evolves over time, and we need to evolve away from using what was relatively recently a medical diagnosis as an insult.
Like don’t use it all? I mean I don’t know the last time I’ve said it but it does have uses besides calling people it. And why is it worse then stupid or slow dumb whatever as I imagine they where bullied with those words also.
I think it’s absolutely fair to ask someone not to use a word that you don’t care for around you. The problem arises when you attempt to make that everyone’s problem, not just yours.