Emanuel controversy fuels politically active self-advocates
February 4th, 2010From the Washington Post:
People with intellectual disabilities are nearing success in their efforts to purge the word “retarded” from the national lexicon, boosted in part by the apology of White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, reports Michael Alison Chandler,.
The campaign is led in part by the mentally disabled themselves, who are increasingly politicized and eager to escape the stigma associated with the term.
“It’s a time of change” said Jill Eglé, co-executive director at the Arc of Northern Virginia, a support group for the disabled, who spearheaded a campaign to change the state code in Virginia.
The words “retarded” or “retard” feel threatening, she said. Eglé identifies herself this way: “I am a powerful leader with an intellectual disability.
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