Why Are We Still Using Banned Words to Describe Children?

Banned words

A recent exchange between a Facebook friend has been weighing on my mind. He was talking about something political and he used a word on the banned words list. For those uncertain, those words are ones that demean another person based on race, religion, sexual orientation or mental capacity. The exchange between the two of us was not unpleasant as I know this person wasn’t saying “Hey Brandi, I’m talking about your son and calling him a name” so I chose not to take this post personally and instead shared some words that could be used instead.

The post was changed but I was told that at some point in my son’s life he would be called the dreaded “r” word and to prepare myself and my son. My son is three. Let that sink in: I need to prepare myself and my three-year-old for someone to call him retarded. Even the thought makes my blood boil.

Prepare yourself for it?!

How do you prepare yourself to hear words like that about your own child? How can anyone look at the sweet face of any child and call them a name? How can you, as an adult, allow your child to diminish another child to the core of their being? I know ‘back in the day’ we said things were (insert homophobic slur here) or (insert another word for mentally challenged here) but here we are in 2019 and I am not sure why it’s still a thing.

On the way to school I had to have a talk with my oldest child about words; specifically the word “retarded.” I was asking if they knew anyone that uses that word. My heart stopped beating when she asked what it meant! A few tears may have come out. It means that we have all managed to teach our children not to use words that are meant to hurt. But as adults, we are still using them.

And I told my children they are not to associate with people who use such garbage language because it makes them garbage people. This includes the teacher at her school that uses these words. Because I will gladly have a talk with the administration about why my child walked out of class. I try to be understanding and compassionate, but, I look at the sweet face of my own child and compassion and understanding go out the window. Mama Bear comes out quick and Mama Bear ain’t playing with garbage words or garbage people.

The list is endless

So, join me in not using those banned words anymore. If you are using them to make a point, your point is invalid, and it makes you look less intelligent. Instead, here are some words you can use:

Asinine; craptastic; monumentally stupid, idiotic, lame, simple, numskull, pillock, blockhead.  There are more colorful words you can use that I cannot share here, but the list is really endless. It can be fun to think of all the colorful phrases you can use.