Re: Top ten worst disability-related words

[Guest guest]

A panel of people with disabilities created our diverse top ten list, which

was then put to the public vote. It featured words that could be considered

very deliberately offensive, as well as everyday words that grate just as

badly.

THE FINAL RESULT

The No 1 Worst Word: RETARD

" I had an emotional reaction to all the words mentioned and found it really

hard to choose just one. I chose Retard as I have heard it used so often as a

description of everyone who is disabled or different. It makes me shudder.

Words do hurt - they can annihilate your self-confidence and self-image, and

they generally show the way the wider community feels by their acceptance. If

I don't want to be called something, then that should be respected. Why are

people so threatened by being asked to change their language? " (Disabled)

Total votes cast: 2053

1. Retard 19.6% (404 votes) 2. Spastic 18% (373 votes) 3.

Window-licker 17% (350 votes) 4. Mong 13.4% (276 votes) 5. Special 10.2%

(210 votes)

6. Brave 7.9% (163 votes) 7. Cripple 5.5% (113 votes) 8. Psycho 2.9%

(60 votes) 9. Handicapped 2.5% (52 votes) 10. Wheelchair-bound 2% (42 votes)

**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes

(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)