Today is the day we take a stand against the word "retard," a slur that insults people who cannot always fight back. I see it frequently in YA fiction, used not to make a point about the way in which we are flawed human beings who sometimes use words without thinking about the, but because authors know teenagers use the word and want to sound "authentic."
This is more than not okay. It's lazy writing.
For more information about spread the word to end the word, and to sign the pledge letting everyone know you are aware that the r-word is not okay, please visit www.r-word.org
To win a copy of Kirsten Hubbard's Wanderlove, comment on this post. Winners will be chosen next Tuesday.
