Document Type
Definition Essay
Publication Date
1993
Excerpt
If I asked the average person to picture a mentally handicapped person, his imagination would probably take him no further than physical appearance. He may draw into his mind the memory of a young boy with Down's Syndrome who he encountered at the local Kmart, or maybe he will conjure up an image of the girl he frequently sees at school who walks with her mouth wide open, looks a bit peculiar, and slurs her speech. If I then proceeded to ask him who a mentally handicapped person is, he would most likely be slightly puzzled and a little reluctant to respond to the question. His eventual answer would probably be something like "someone who was born without the same mental capabilities as a normal person, and therefore, completely dependent on other people." Although this idea seems to be a popular one, it is very inaccurate and uninformed.
Recommended Citation
Burton, Jennifer, "The Real Meaning of "Mentally Handicapped" (1993)" (1993). The Valpo Core Reader. 320.
http://scholar.valpo.edu/core_reader/320