(Marginalization of the Mentally Disabled)
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There are countless names, slurs, and stereotypes of the intellectually disabled. The most common word used to describe these people is the R-word, retard. Retard implies low intelligence and that there’s something wrong with the person. There’s no worst name to be called than something that makes you feel stupid and degrades you. This name calling has become so popular the suffix –tard is being added on to everything. It’s becoming too common and being used in all situations. Other stereotype names include “dud” and “Forest” from the popular movie “Forest Gump.” This movie is about a boy that’s intellectually challenged and had polio.
Most of society also believes that intellectually challenged people are stupid or of a child’s intelligence. A reason people might think this is because of the movies “The Ringer” starring Johnny Knoxville. His character plays a mentally challenged so he can compete in the Special Olympics. But his isn’t always true. For example autistic people show higher intelligence than the common person. Some display amazing ability to remember every detail of something or are a human calculator. Looks can be deceiving.
Of course none of these names should ever be used to refer to intellectually disabled people. These people are just like the rest of society. They are people with feelings that get hurt like everyone else. Just think if you were in their situation: feeling like you can’t fight back or even believing some of the things said may be true. You wouldn’t want to feel excluded and not like everyone else. It all goes back to the well known saying: “treat others how you would want to be treated.”
Why People in the Special Olympics Marginalized
People in the Special Olympics are mainly marginalized because a lot of none mentally challenged people believe that they have a lower intelligence level and cannot understand average thinking. Sometimes they are even marginalized because of their physical appearances is not what people see on a average persons day to day basis. Other of our special needs people are excluded from having normal live such as living on their own or sometimes even having a actual job like we would have due to the fact that a lot of them are not capable of care for themselves or even feel comfortable when left alone or with a stranger. Our special Olympic compotators are extremely marginalized by the our average none special needs players because they are not allowed to compete against one and other because they say it would be unfair even though they do just as well even sometimes better than our average player.
Stereotypes of the Intellectually Challenged
There are countless names, slurs, and stereotypes of the intellectually disabled. The most common word used to describe these people is the R-word, retard. Retard implies low intelligence and that there’s something wrong with the person. There’s no worst name to be called than something that makes you feel stupid and degrades you. This name calling has become so popular the suffix –tard is being added on to everything. It’s becoming too common and being used in all situations. Other stereotype names include “dud” and “Forest” from the popular movie “Forest Gump.” This movie is about a boy that’s intellectually challenged and had polio.
Most of society also believes that intellectually challenged people are stupid or of a child’s intelligence. A reason people might think this is because of the movies “The Ringer” starring Johnny Knoxville. His character plays a mentally challenged so he can compete in the Special Olympics. But his isn’t always true. For example autistic people show higher intelligence than the common person. Some display amazing ability to remember every detail of something or are a human calculator. Looks can be deceiving.
Of course none of these names should ever be used to refer to intellectually disabled people. These people are just like the rest of society. They are people with feelings that get hurt like everyone else. Just think if you were in their situation: feeling like you can’t fight back or even believing some of the things said may be true. You wouldn’t want to feel excluded and not like everyone else. It all goes back to the well known saying: “treat others how you would want to be treated.”
What Needs to Happen in Order to Stop the Marginalization
We believe that in order for all this none sense so called marginalization to stop we none challenged people need to take a stand and stand up for those who’s words don’t seem to mean much to average people. We need to give them the same opportunities we have gotten and treat them like an average person because just because they are special doesn’t mean their abnormal. Their appearances maybe be different but it doesn’t mean they need to be treated like some kind of freak.