H.R. 8863 "Words Matter Act"

A group of Congressional leaders have decided to address the archaic words "Mental Retardation" in a new House of Representatives bill. The new bill would effectively remove the words "Metnal Retardation" from all government references within U.S. Code.

Most people working in the field of Intellectual Disabilities left the words "Mental Retardation" in the dust a long time ago. Even before Rosa's Law A Short Look at Rosa’s Law and What it Changes many people had dropped the terminology from daily use. Those deciding not to use the outdated and misued terms, started using terms such as "People with disabiliites" or "Disabled individuals" or one of the best, just "People." Now, over ten years since President Obama signed Rosa's Law, "Mental Retardation" is still being used in U.S. Code and by many in public. It's not unsual to find a physician or psychologist still clinging to the diagnosis of "Mental Retardation." It's not really any one person or groups fault, the words "Mental Retardation" have been in use since the 1960s and have been a cornerstone of diagnosis since that time.

Rosa's Law came into being not because "Mental Retardation" was a bad term, but because it was a misued term. The words was often modified and used in slang and for crulty. People would say things like "You're so 'retardaded" or "You're a retard" and many other variations. Ironically, it was the same misues of medical terminaology that caused "Mental Retardation" to be implemented in the 1960s. Prior to that period of time, dianogisis for people with Intellectual Disabilities was based on words like "Idiot," "Moron," and "Imbecile." If you're like me, you likely cringed when you read those words, but before the 1960s, they were in common use and very accepted by society and the medical field. Unfortunately, those words were also in common misuse.

Perhaps the best thing to say about H.R. 8863 "Words Matter Act" is "it's about time." Rosa's Law has been in place for over ten years. Most of us in the field have moved to the use of "Intellectual Disabilities" or "Developmental Disabilites" for our reports, terminology, and everyday use. It's time for the government to catch up with the rest of us.

Much like the 1960s and 2013, I suspect that in the future "Intellectual Disabilites" will be misued. I do not think this is the last time society will have to address the misuse of a medical diagnosis for slang and name-calling. It seems like society has to address this issue about every fifty years. While I will not likey be around to see the next transition for the diagnosiis, it would be nice to hope for a time when laws do not have to be implemented to address the slang and misuse of a diagnosistc word for a disability which affects so many beautiful and outstanding people.