Leopards Ate My Face

Wait, I can't tell.

Did OP write removed to mean the r word or did he type it but did it automatically get censored (if the latter, I didn't know Lemmy could do that). Or is removed innuendo for the r word? Or are you actually offended by the literal usage of "removed?" I'm so confused.

How would you rewrite that part of the sentence that used the "R" word? It seems like "idiot" and "stupid" (edit: "moron") are also terms with historical baggage, and likely fall into the same category of being a slur. Or is it just because the "R" word is still in use by the medical field? I suppose "dumbass" is the first word that comes to mind without historical (or current?) baggage, and I'm personally fine to use that term to replace all the others above. But the links you provided don't really give guidance on how to express the above in a "safe" alternative way (note the original was an internal thought); I guess I'm here proposing that everyone just use "dumbass" (shout out to "Red").

Edit: I guess "dumb" also has its problems; perhaps even "fool"?

The "r" word isn't specific to mental shortcomings. That's slang and is shortened from the actual mental-specific terms. It is used a lot for its proper meaning in many fields, one of which is obviously medicine.

Just like any sound that comes from a mouth, it's not the letters, it's the intent. If we start erasing words because people lack any knowledge of them, we'd need to readdress the entire language. In this case, people use a short-form of it (the word only) to incorrectly disparage a person with a condition they do not have. Such as idiot, moron, spastic, etc. which all have the same historical weight and use as retard, so are no different. The only difference is a lack of knowledge and defaulting to being offended, which is exactly what the person saying it as slang intended.

That intent could be with any word.

My dear friend, a lovely, kind and caring father, has a daughter born with some challenges. She's profoundly autistic, as I recall. Her path and potential are not the same as ours.

My friend talks with his doc often, as required, as in his area the care for his daughter is strong and consistent.

The doctor said, and says, that my friend's wonderful little girl is removed in her intellectual development. That's the word he uses. That's the word my dear friend uses when he talks about his universe when she is sitting in his lap. There's no malice there, and he says it as matter-of-factly as one would say "she has brown hair".

My dear friend, who is a great guy in every respect - I'm a little jealous - heard this word from his doctor, and uses this word when relevant am And referring to his little girl whom he obviously loves with all his heart.

I'm not a great guy. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a social justice warrior. I am not going to invite wrath by volunteering such a word, as English is a language steered by vapid ticktock fame-whores and that word has been co-opted. It's so fetch to reduce clarity in speech, so like, share and subscribe. But I'm not in a position or need to 'correct' what a doctor told a kind and caring person is the correct word to describe his beautiful child.

You be you.