Who does the word "retarded" offend?

I don't care one way or another if someone uses it. The words and terminology someone uses is up to them, nothing wrong with exercising your freedom of speech. Just be aware that the PC BS brigade won't tolerate using words that they deem unacceptable, which is quite ironic given that these are largely the same people who champion tolerance for those that are "different".

Edit: Teddy/Chilliswoman : That's the thing though. Anyone can claim that any given term hurts them or causes them some kind of grief. It's not something that really be proven either, there are terms that even I think are offensive, but I would never consider telling anyone that they can't use those terms or suggest that they should be allowed to use any given terminology

People these days don't seem to think words offend. It's like "that's so gay" which has come to the vernacular and how little they care for it being offensive to the gay community by aligning it with something negative.

It's the same here - you are aligning the word retarded with something negative or broken or whatever. The word itself was used as an insult to those who had disabilities or as a terminology (ie: Mental Retardation).

Perhaps you should think a little more about the words you use in future.

It does not offend me in my opinion, because of the fact i'm no longer retarded and don't in my opinion comprehend every physique this is. With that being suggested, I on no account use the notice "retarded" to describe something i do in comparison to. i think of this is a degrading notice if this is utilized in a degrading experience. once you're talking approximately psychological ailment, retard is totally ideal. this is the definition of the notice after all!

My son has Down syndrome. Many of his friends do and other disabilities that cause intellectual disability. Without exception they are offended by it. My son just the other day said he did not want to go out with his cousin anymore. I asked why? He said because her boyfriend uses the word retarded. I said did he call you that? He said no he called other people that. He said it hurts his ears and his heart when he heard it. I asked him why didn't he tell him that. He said he didn't know how. He didn't listen when he told him. So maybe they are offended. Maybe they are telling you. Maybe they just don't bother to say anything anymore because they know people don't listen.

This is not about political correctness. This is about a word that hurts people because it is OK in our society to treat people who we call retarded worse than anything else on earth.

First of all, "mentally retarded" is NOT the correct way to describe a person with intellectual Disabilities or learning Disabilities even though it is even used in the MEDICAL sense or EDUCATIONAL sense.

There ARE various people with mental retardation with high enough intelligence level that ARE offended when the word "retard" is used.

Calling someone, disabled or not, retarded is one of the the most offensive things you can call them in the UK. Mental retardation has not been an official term for decades here (although it still is in the US). It is offensive because it implies that a person is stupid and slow, when actually they just have learning disabilities.

the word retarded offends me greatly. mainly because of the way it is used to put people down and insult their intelligence. Teddy & chillswoman put it beautifully, I hope it makes you think before using that word again

I am black. It might be like the N word. It dosnt offend me when used in a polite tone but white people are offended anyways.

yeah the kids that are "mentally handicapped" don't really care about being called retarded as long as your not tormenting them. I use the term to refer to non handicapped people acting stupid.