https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 20:46:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363212 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:46:49 +0000 DigAPony 363212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She is an idiotic troll who spews intolerance and inaccurate information. I find the word very offensive--I was raised by a special ed teacher and was educated about the derogatory nature of calling someone/something a retard/retarded. I agree with PPs that to me, it's like using the word "gay" to describe something bad. </p> <p>On a side note, I know a mother who posts pictures of her son on Facebook and calls him "the rocktard." WTF. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363202 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:40:28 +0000 ladyfingers 363202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I find it offensive. And I find her entire existence offensive, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363191 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:34:30 +0000 loveisstrange 363191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I find that word extremely offensive... and this is from someone who doesn't really find the "c" word all that offensive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363190 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:33:00 +0000 pinkcupcake 363190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Very, very, VERY offensive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363173 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:25:03 +0000 mrs. bird 363173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: when i was in college, my roommate used to say, 'that's so gay' all the time! i asked her for one weekend to replace 'gay' with homosexual or happy, depending on what she was trying to express, but that if neither of those worked, to say something else. i will give her credit for going along with it! she stopped using it after that because i guess she really just had never noticed how often she used 'gay' as a negative way to describe something. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363157 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:17:17 +0000 Arden 363157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lemondrop: Yes! I hate how so many use the phrase "That's so gay", in a negative way.<br /> Can you imagine how it makes gay children feel when they hear people call a stupid joke or an ugly sweater or an annoying teacher "gay"?<br /> It's basically using "gay" as a cuss word. It's used to replace "that's f'd up". </p> <p>I'm starting a revolt against using these words like this... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363135 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:05:45 +0000 dagret 363135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally offensive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363116 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:55:14 +0000 lemondrop 363116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, anyone who has loved a child with a disability should take rampant offense to that term. I used to volunteer with hippotherapy (therapy on horseback) and would be so hurt and outraged if anyone called my little angels retarded, I think using that term for anyone is a terrible thing. </p> <p>People need to be aware of the words they use to describe something they don't like- retarded, gay, etc. People get hurt by this. </p> <p>Also I find Ann Coulter offensive and have zero respect for her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363072 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:34:34 +0000 Mrsbells 363072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone for your opinions. I also think she should have just apologized for it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-363006 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:54:39 +0000 immabeetoo 363006@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, it does. @arden put it beautifully so I'll just 'ditto' what she said. I do understand words slipping out - but she obviously shows no remorse which is reprehensible to me. Glad, however, that the incident is initiating conversations about why people are offended by it, and the reasons not to use it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362979 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:36:00 +0000 mrs. bird 362979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Absolutely. I had little respect for her before, but now I find her only useful purpose to be that she irritates me to the point where I am forced to fortify my own arguments against what she shares as her beliefs. I understand politics can get heated &amp; ugly, but using language that shows such disrespect to a group of people with no control over their limitations is cruel &amp; unbecoming. How can you expect someone to think of you as an educated, knowledgable, intellectual when you speak publicly in such a way &amp; refuse to even acknowledge when you've been wrong?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362974 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:32:51 +0000 birdofafeather 362974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>yuck, she sucks. i do find the word offensive and i can't stand when people say things just to get people riled up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362964 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:30:55 +0000 mediagirl 362964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shutterbug: I opt to refrain on the open forum. If you would like me to answer that offline, I wouldn't mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362956 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:26:54 +0000 mrbee 362956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I find it offensive. At the same time though, sometimes I feel like I can't really say anything without offending someone. Not sure how to reconcile those two feelings... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362953 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:25:47 +0000 mrsjyw 362953@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>YEs, extremely offensive~! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362949 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:23:54 +0000 Arden 362949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Kelle Hampton (popular blogger and mother of a beautiful daughter who happens to have down syndrome) on the word - </p> <p>"And please, if you do anything this month—make efforts to stop the use of the word “retard” and "retarded" in your family’s vocabulary. Comparing even your own absent-minded actions to a word originally intended to classify individuals with mental disabilities is incredibly hurtful to the families who love someone with special needs. I hear it every time it's said--in conversation, on television, when people don't even know I'm listening. I know you're not talking about my child, and I know that you are kind and accepting of others' differences. I understand it takes a while to dispose of a word that has for so long been accepted in our society. But know that it stings to hear that word. It stings to have that painful part inside you that's on alert to defend your child flare up and remind you that there's a bad word that people use to make fun of your beautiful, wonderful, capable child." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362934 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:18:27 +0000 HLK208 362934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Extremely. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362931 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:15:47 +0000 Shutterbug 362931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: I'm curious to hear what you like about her? I don't mean that in a snarky way, I've just always thought of her as someone who says things to intentionally piss people off, but maybe I'm missing the point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362930 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:15:42 +0000 Arden 362930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do find it offensive, because of it's origin. </p> <p>It was typically a derogatory term for children with a variety of mental (or sometimes even physical) handicaps. I've seen it used many times for those with cerebral palsy or other things that affect speech, as well as children with downs syndrome, etc. </p> <p>It's become a word with a hurtful history, and many parents of special-needs kids find it painful to hear, not to mention the special-needs population themselves. </p> <p>For that reason, I would never use it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362929 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:15:05 +0000 travelgirl1 362929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JustlikeHeaven: I saw that letter too, she should definitely have apologised after that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362927 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:14:14 +0000 DpeachLu 362927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I read the letter the Olympian athlete with down syndrome wrote to her. I was in tears.<br /> I can't believe she wont apologize even after that letter.<br /> I personally do not like to hear when people use that word. I would rather hear a million curse words than hear someone using the r word. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362926 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:13:33 +0000 mediagirl 362926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. I actually like her but I don't like it when anyone uses that word. It's totally offensive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362923 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:12:01 +0000 MrsBrewer 362923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Extremely offensive. I feel anyone who uses it in a derogatory way is just ignorant......personally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362922 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:11:49 +0000 Shutterbug 362922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She's such a troll. And yes, I do find it offensive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-find-the-r-word-offensive#post-362919 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:11:06 +0000 Mrsbells 362919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was just reading about how Ann Coulter is refusing to apologize for the word RETART in a derogatory way to Obama even after all the criticism. She says that since the terms "idiot" moron and imbecile are now acceptable when they once werent, so she doesnt see why she should apologize for using "Retard" in the same way.</p> <p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/23/living/ann-coulter-obama-tweet/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/23/living/ann-coulter-obama-tweet/index.html</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/ann-coulter-retard_n_2022621.html?utm_hp_ref=media" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/ann-coulter-retard_n_2022621.html?utm_hp_ref=media</a> </p>