I've used the word as an insult in the past, but never neutrally. Because I was brought up to think "retarded" is a bad word (90s kid) I think of it more as a generalised insult than a descriptor for the mentally disabled. This despite the relevance of retardation as a term.
Of course, if you phase the word out, ignorant and/or malicious kids (guilty as charged) latch onto the new word. Which is where you start to realise it's not exactly a coincedence the Slang Gods tend to pick the disadvantaged.
So, yeah. Especially since perjorative "gay" has always messed with me regardless of context and intent.
My thoughts on yaoi
I've used the word as an insult in the past, but never neutrally. Because I was brought up to think "retarded" is a bad word (90s kid) I think of it more as a generalised insult than a descriptor for the mentally disabled. This despite the relevance of retardation as a term.
Of course, if you phase the word out, ignorant and/or malicious kids (guilty as charged) latch onto the new word. Which is where you start to realise it's not exactly a coincedence the Slang Gods tend to pick the disadvantaged.
So, yeah. Especially since perjorative "gay" has always messed with me regardless of context and intent.