“Much of society does not recognize the hurtful, dehumanizing and exclusive effects of the word “retard(ed).” This statement is from R-Word: Spread the Word to End the Word, a website and campaign formed by Special Olympics. This cause represents years of advocacy on the part of individuals, families, educators and others concerned with transforming how we talk about intellectual disabilities.
Mental Retardation: The History of the Term
Mental retardation was a term developed for clinical purposes, and originally only had a neutral connotation for describing a specific type of disability occurring in people under the age of 18. However, the wider use of the term, and its permutations to “retard” and “retarded,” spawned negative stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities. In many cases, people used these terms to signify someone who was stupid. The terms are now considered offensive and many individuals and organizations have changed their language to be less stereotypical and more inclusive.
Change at the Federal Level
The year was 2010. President Barack Obama signed Rosa’s Law, a federal law that removed the term “mental retardation” in federal education, health and labor statutes, replacing it with “intellectual disability.” The law was named for Rosa Marcellino, a young woman with Down syndrome whose family engaged in a two-year campaign to change the terminology.
In a White House ceremony, President Obama echoed the words of Nick Marcellino, Rosa’s teenage brother, who said, “What you call people is how you treat them. If we change the words, maybe it will be the start of a new attitude toward people with disabilities.”
In 2013, the Social Security Administration signaled that it would eliminate “mental retardation” from its official lexicon as well.
It is important to note that, though the language has changed, the definition has not. The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) explains that, for over five decades, the three main components of the clinical definition of the term have been “limitations in intellectual functioning, behavioral limitations in adapting to environmental demands, and early age on onset.”
Other Terminology
While the government and many organizations have adopted “intellectual disability” as the terminology for official documents, there are additional options. The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), advocates for “people first” language. Rather than saying “the disabled,” it is preferable to say “people with disabilities,” “adult with disabilities” or “child with disabilities.” Other inclusive terms include “a person with a cognitive impairment” or “a person with a cognitive disability.” Rather than referring to services as “handicapped,” the AUCD recommends using “accessible” to describe buses, parking and bathrooms.
Where States Stand
States That Still Use the Term “Mental Retardation”
The shift in terminology at the federal level has inspired some, but not all, states to follow suit. As of 2013, states that still use “mental retardation” in official documents include:
- Colorado
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Oklahoma
Legislation regarding this change has been introduced, though not yet signed into law, as of 2013 in the following states:
- Alaska
- California
- Georgia
- Michigan
- Nebraska
States That Have Updated Their Official Documents
A number of states not only shifted their language in official documents, but also issued official statements during the Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign. These state are listed below, along with the year that they changed their policies:
- Alabama (2009)
- Arizona (2011)
- Delaware (2011)
- Florida (2013)
- Hawaii (2011)
- Idaho (2010)
- Illinois (2011)
- Iowa (2012)
- Kansas (2013)
- Kentucky (2012)
- Maine (2012)
- Maryland (2009)
- Massachusetts (2010)
- Minnesota (2013)
- Missouri (2011)
- New Hampshire (2008)
- New Jersey (2010)
- New York (2010)
- North Carolina (2012)
- North Dakota (2011)
- Ohio (2009)
- Oregon (2011)
- Pennsylvania (2011)
- Rhode Island (2010)
- South Carolina (2011)
- South Dakota (2013)
- Texas (2011)
- Utah (2011)
- Vermont (2011)
- Virginia (2009)
- Washington (2009)
- West Virginia (2010)
- Wisconsin (2012)
- Wyoming (2011)
The following states do not use antiquated terminology in their official language, but the year of legislation is not confirmed:
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Tennessee
It is clear from the lists above that most states have recognized the need to use “people first” language that is inclusive and does not reinforce stereotypes. Individuals can pledge their support for this campaign at R-Word: Spread the Word to End the Word.
About Author: Serena Makofsky
Serena Makofsky is a bilingual teacher with two decades of experience educating children in urban classrooms. She is passionate about integrating best teaching practices into the classroom as well as into her research and writing for education publishers. Her education writing includes creating curriculum, covering education issues for news outlets, editing test items, and writing book chapters, textbooks, online curriculum, and reference books. She is currently on assignment in Mexico for Aishti, an international lifestyle magazine. Follow her on Google+.
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