why the words 'stupid' & other slurs against people w cognitive disabilities are harmful / TW: slurs

[belenen]

icon: "analytical (a close-up photo of my eye in bright sunlight, showing the green and grey and roots-looking patterns)"

---- TW/CN: slurs are used within this post without asterisks ----
---- TW/CN: discussion of systemic & personal abuse of cognitively disabled people ----

Comments

[belenen]

*nods* I have been focused on it for so long now that it shocked me to look back through old posts and see how I used ableist slurs only two years ago! I'm lucky that the people I talk with on a daily basis also work to get them out of their habits -- that makes it much easier, when you're not taking it in all the time.

I think even if the trigger factor was the only way it harmed people, that would be a reason not to do it! I wish people would stop with ableist jokes like "short bus" too. *deep frown*

[lady_leia_solo]

I'm also guilty of using this word on more than one occasion. I never thought about how it was related to the the-r word, which I would never use and I don't like being used around me. I usually use it in a joking manner with my friends and family. I would never insult someone's intelligence because it's a sensitive topic for myself as well (I left high school and only recently entered college).

[belenen]

*nods* it is really common and hard to avoid!

[callie_chan]

Found this post randomly on the front page, and I just wanted to drop in and say thanks for this! Especially the last link. A lot of ableist slurs have crept into my vocabulary over the course of my life due to their being so damn common, and over the past few years I've grown increasingly aware of them and I've been wanting to change, but it was hard for me to think of good alternatives. The link to the article with various acceptable replacements is incredibly helpful in that regard! I'm extremely socially conscious, so knowing I need to make these changes but not having a good idea how to start replacing these words in my speech really weighed on me. But I feel like that barrier's been lifted now, and that I can make a concerted effort to replace those words in my vocabulary now that I've got a list of handy and non-ableist alternatives to refer to

[belenen]

I'm glad that this was helpful for you! I agree that asinine makes a good replacement for what people really mean when they say st*pid.

[anonymous]

[belenen]

I am aware that not everyone can change their vocabulary easily and that for some people it is almost impossible. That is part of the reason that for people who can change it, like me, it's important that we do, so that these words become obsolete eventually.

[wanderipity]

That last bit! Anyway, a great post.

[belenen]

glad you liked it!