Where does the "helmet-wearing, diaper-wearing, drooling idiot" stereotype of IDD people come from?

posted 8 months ago

So if you know what I am talking about, you know what I am talking about.

In adult-oriented American media in the old days, intellectually/developmentally/mentally disabled characters were often depicted to be wearing helmets, diapers, drooling, and having “that” tone of their voice, while speaking things that don’t make sense. While this stereotype has mostly vanished, it is still kinda alive in the form of that “brainlet” wojak and Jeffy from the SuperMarioLogan videos.

I’ve been wondering this for a long time now. Where the hell does this stereotype come from?

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GBU_28@lemm.ee

3 points

8 months ago

Same. My across the street neighbor literally had every feature. I was a child so I’m unfamiliar with specifics of her condition but I do remember her family was very kind to her and worked hard for her

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