The term “retard” has been in use since the 1950s, when the American Association on Mental Retardation (AMR) introduced the word. Its use became controversial and dehumanizing, and it came to mean stupid or idiot. This language change was not welcomed by many, as it stigmatized a population. This campaign aims to end the word. It also calls for the acceptance of all people.
One way to address this issue is to change the name of the state agency that takes care of mentally impaired people. It is the only agency in the state that uses the word “retard,” which was considered neutral for a long time. Today, however, the term has become a derogatory label and many leading advocates have dropped it from their titles. Instead, the office will be known as the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD).
Another reason to avoid using the term “retarded” is the social baggage it carries. In grade school, it was an insult to call a child “mentally retarded” or “stupid.” But today, this phrase is becoming less appropriate. In addition, older advocates of this cause still use the term as a way to talk about their family members.