Redefining The R-word

 First, welcome to the Living With Disabilities Advocacy Website. It's run by none other than Katrina Smith, who's a person with a learning disability. Her mission behind Living With Disabilities is to bring awareness to all people with disabilities.

Today, Living With Disabilities wants to talk about Redefining the R-word. 

The Living With Disabilities article Disability 101: Crash course discussed that Retardations will be brought up in a different article. And here is that article.

Living With Disabilities wants to let you know that this article will be written in the format of a letter. Before getting to this letter, let's talk about how this R-word began and go down history lane.

By the 1940s, society started using the terms "mentally retarded" and "mentally handicapped" more often. According to the Ontario Mistery of Children, community and social services. People with mental challenges would be classified as "mentally retarded" as stated by their ability in three categories:

1. Educable

2. Trainable and

3. Custodial

People who were considered coachable could be taught academically related skills like reading and writing. And trainable people benefited from basic life skills. A person who has been given very limited developmental skills opportunities was custodial.

 Then in the 1960s, a new terminology emerged, Severely or profoundly mentally retarded instead of Custodial.

We're now in a new year and it's time to look at people with disabilities like no other person. If an abled body can be determined, the same can be said for an individual with a disability. Here are some words that come from people with disabilities. 
 

 

 Dear Society,
 

 In the 1940s, you started using the word "Metal retarded" or "Physically retarded" to consider people with disabilities. This word had been sailing like a steamboat off to sail. And many people who have disabilities have been called this word, by different people. And by some very familiar people, Family members, etc...

 We're in a new year and it's time for a change. So, it's time to spit out the "R-word" like old chewing gum. Individuals with disabilities should be treated with dignity. Because you consider people with disabilities unable to learn, and because some people need more time to complete a task, it does not make them an "R-word".

Therefore, it's time to redefine the R-word because there is talent in every individual with a disability. They can work. Like, any individual without a disability and the listing process from there.

 Therefore, check your lingo at the door, when you see a person with a disability, the minute you feel the R-word come to mind, spit it out like it's old gum and find a positive word to call them.  

Work cited page
https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/dshistory/language/1940s_1970s.aspx

  Podcast Link

https://anchor.fm/livingwithdisabilites/episodes/Redefining-The-R-Word-e1ev0hg