Today The Demon came home saying that someone said "You're so retarded!" toward him. A few years back I joined a moms site. After being a member of that site, I learned just how offensive that phrase is. I have never been around special needs children. To read some of the stories and comments that some of the children would go through was (and is) heartbreaking. To think that people throw around "retarded" as such an insult is disgusting.
I grew up saying "You're so gay!" "That is sooo retarded!". I grew up with my mom having lesbians for best friends. For years, one of her closest friends lived with us. I never thought anything was different with her. Growing up my cousin had a best friend who was gay. Again, nothing out of the norm for me. I never once thought the phrase "That's (or you're) so gay!" was offensive. But...looking back - why would I think that it's OK to insinuate that because I feel a person is being "dumb" or "ridiculous" was gay? or retarded? (Or anything racial.. but that is a topic for another blog)
I am doing my BEST to raise The Demon to be just as accepting and open minded as I consider myself to be. He has seen men kiss, and when he looked offended or disgusted, I reminded him that it was love. How could ANY love be considered offensive or disgusting?
My sincere hope is that in the very near future he will have the confidence in himself and the passion to speak up against the next person that feels it's acceptable to throw around "Stop being so gay/retarded!!"
He has such a big heart I know I won't have to wait long for that day.
♥
I grew up saying "You're so gay!" "That is sooo retarded!". I grew up with my mom having lesbians for best friends. For years, one of her closest friends lived with us. I never thought anything was different with her. Growing up my cousin had a best friend who was gay. Again, nothing out of the norm for me. I never once thought the phrase "That's (or you're) so gay!" was offensive. But...looking back - why would I think that it's OK to insinuate that because I feel a person is being "dumb" or "ridiculous" was gay? or retarded? (Or anything racial.. but that is a topic for another blog)
I am doing my BEST to raise The Demon to be just as accepting and open minded as I consider myself to be. He has seen men kiss, and when he looked offended or disgusted, I reminded him that it was love. How could ANY love be considered offensive or disgusting?
My sincere hope is that in the very near future he will have the confidence in himself and the passion to speak up against the next person that feels it's acceptable to throw around "Stop being so gay/retarded!!"
He has such a big heart I know I won't have to wait long for that day.
♥
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