Posts filed under: language

June 22
The Journal News (White Plains, N.Y.)
'People' before disabilities
New York will finally update the name of the state office charged with ensuring fair treatment and quality-of-life to people with various developmental disabilities, not just by taking the "r" word out of the title, but by adding "people" to it.
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Filed Under: developmental disability, intellectual disability, language, public policy

June 8
NewJerseyNewsroom.com
New Jersey looks to remove words such as ‘retarded' and ‘idiot' from state law
The state Senate Health and Senior Services Committee has approved legislation that would remove demeaning and disrespectful terms for individuals with developmental disabilities from state law.
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Filed Under: developmental disability, intellectual disability, language, public policy

June 7
The New York Times
Name Change at Agency to Remove ‘Retardation’
For the second time in a year, New York legislators are considering changing the name of one of the only state agencies in the country with “retardation” still in its title.
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Filed Under: developmental disability, intellectual disability, language, long-term care, public policy

May 31
Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technology
Defining Disability in an Age of Enhancement
Last week I made a presentation at a conference on disability rights held at Union College in Schenectady, New York. I was invited by my former student, Joe Stramondo, who is now teaching philosophy in Michigan. The topic that our panel addressed was the impact of enhancement technologies on the understanding of disability.
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Filed Under: language, public policy, technology

May 23
The Hill
Bipartisan Senate bill aims to take 'retarded' out of federal lexicon
Senators are preparing to eliminate all references in federal law to the terms “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded individual.”
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Filed Under: intellectual disability, language, public policy

March 8
The Journal News (White Plains, N.Y.)
Movement presses to drop 'retardation' from clinical terminology
Ginese is among a growing number of people across the nation working to halt use of the terms "mental retardation" and "mentally retarded" and replace them with the terms "intellectual disability" and "an individual with an intellectual disability."
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Filed Under: intellectual disability, language, public policy

March 1
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Tim McGuire: Sarah Palin: An oversensitive mom
The media and Sarah Palin need to chill out. Media commentators should help Palin find reasonable ground on the topic of Down syndrome. Most recently, Palin has fired shots at the "Family Guy" TV show for mocking her Down syndrome toddler, Trig.
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Filed Under: intellectual disability, language

Feb. 15
The Washington Post
The bigotry behind the word 'retard'
Professor and author Christopher M. Fairman ["The case against banning the word 'retard,' " Outlook, Feb. 14] made good arguments about the limits of language to effect change in behavior and attitude, as well as about the nuanced ways in which words such as "retard," "queer" and "gay" can carry multiple meanings, some of which intend no insult or humiliation.
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Filed Under: intellectual disability, language

Feb. 14
The Washington Post
The case against banning the word 'retard'
Long before Rahm Emanuel, Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh made the word fodder for political controversy and late-night punch lines, a movement was underway to eliminate it from everyday conversation.
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Filed Under: intellectual disability, language, public policy

Jan. 30
Parkersburg (W.V.) Sentinel and Journal
Emanuel’s language angers advocates
Local and state advocates for those with disabilities were "outraged" after learning of reports that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel reportedly used an epithet relating to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Filed Under: intellectual disability, language, public policy

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