Is it normal that I get upset when I hear someone use the word "retarded"?

Unfortunately the commentors saying that the word will simply be replaced by another insult, do have a strong point.

The solution is not to try and ban the word, but to simply teach people to not use disability as an insult or see it as something to insult. Forbidding people from using a slur without telling them why is... kind of pointless.

However, there are always going to be people who insult others especially on the internet. Slurs and insults in general just shouldn't be used. We can't really ban people from calling others ugly.

I don't know. It's a difficult word. I also find it uncomfortable to see/hear. It's not the same as ugly, an opinion word, because at its root it referred to a condition. That is, someone can factually be retarded. On the other hand, both are objectively negative things to be, that can't really be changed in many cases.

But obviously, it's not at all socially acceptable to tell someone they're ugly... so... maybe it would be better if retarded was viewed similarly?

anyway I spent too long thinking about this topic thanks but i gotta go now