One Of The Most Hurtful Insults On TikTok: The “R-Word” 

As times change, so does the language acceptable in polite society.

Dirty language and jokes, once commonly heard in workplaces, now earn people a trip to human resources or the unemployment office. Stereotyped references to groups or communities are no longer considered acceptable in modern contexts.

And we certainly don’t have to explain the long and difficult history of the “n-word.” Even communications terminology has been modified to replace the use of “master” and “slave” with “primary” and “secondary” when describing the relationship between computer drives.

That brings us to the “R-word,” another offensive term that’s still commonly used on TikTok and other social media platforms.

What’s in an R-Word?

The term “mentally retarded” was used throughout much of the 20th century to describe the intellectually disabled. Believe it or not, “mentally retarded” replaced words that had previously been acceptable medical terms, including “imbeciles,” “morons,” “idiots,” and “feebleminded.” The so-called “neutral” R-word was officially adopted by the profession in 1961.

Medical professionals gradually became aware that, however well-meaning, the use of the term “mentally retarded” wasn’t acceptable to patients, their families, and their caregivers. Its negative connotations and its failure to adequately describe the challenges facing the intellectually disabled had made “retarded” an offensive term.

A 2010 US law changed the official designation of patients to “intellectually disabled,” and most other Western nations have adopted the same or similar language, as have the American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean everyone — and for the purposes of this article, all TikTok users — has removed the word “retarded” from their vocabulary.

The R-Word on TikTok

Concerns surrounding the use of words like “retarded” and “retard” were well-founded.

Ever since the middle of the 20th century, those words have been commonly wielded as everyday insults. Children and teens used the words regularly, but they often surfaced in adult conversation (or invective) as well — and the terms were extremely hurtful to both patients and the intellectually disabled community as a whole.

The use of the “R-word,” in all of its forms, became more offensive and less common as time wore on. However, the anonymity and free-wheeling nature of social media platforms provided new cover for those looking to use their “free speech rights” to bully, insult, and hurt others. Sadly, the use of the R-word on TikTok has increased in frequency in the 2020s.

It’s particularly visible in comments left on TikTok posts, used as a one-word response (Retard!”) attacking a TikTok video with what the commenter apparently believes is a powerful and clever response. It’s seen in original TikTok content as well, though, and while it certainly may represent the mean, hurtful opinion of the content creator, it’s just as unacceptable there.

TikTok officially prohibits the use of “retard” and similar terms, but moderation on the app is often hit or miss. The best response to hearing or seeing the R-word on the app is to report the offending post or comment. Hopefully, that will lead to the post or comment being removed — and eventually, the realization by posters that TikTok doesn’t allow hurtful, bullying language.