My father was a neurosurgeon who visited Vanderbilt’s “birth defects” clinic every week. Of course that term too is too hurtful nowadays. But Daddy as an old doctor still referred to going out to the “Feeble-minded Home” long after it was no longer called such an old-fashioned name.
What happens is that terms like moron, imbecile, and idiot are first used properly but become popular as insults. So the new softer term “mentally retarded” is adopted but that term too became harsh as a popular insult. Today one can be accused of being a “special needs” person so I wonder what the next acceptable term will be to describe those of lower IQ.
Short Bus Riders?
*duck*
Liberal???