Resolution was an error derived from obsolete concepts, says agency
Resolution of Argentina’s National Agency of Disabled (andis), published on Thursday (27), caused revolt between entities and families of people with intellectual disabilities for ranking these people by the terms “asshole”, “idiot” and “mental” according to the degree of cognitive disability.
After the negative repercussion, the entity that takes care of the subject, under the management of the government of Javier Milei, said that the resolution published in the country’s Official Gazette was a mistake derived from the use of obsolete concepts and that the resolution will be redone.
“The regulations included an annex containing terms that were historically used in psychiatric medicine to describe profound degrees of intellectual deficit, but have now been discontinued,” said Andis.
The published resolution described the criteria for classifying the degree of intellectual disability for granting benefits for people with disabilities for work.
According to the standard, still in force, the “idiot” is one who “does not read, or writes, does not know the money”, besides “not meeting his basic needs, cannot subsist alone”. The “imbecile” would be the one who “meets his elementary needs, can perform rudimentary tasks.”
The document also classifies the “weak mental” as light, moderate and deep, being the deep one that “only signs, has simple vocabulary, does not handle money, can perform rudimentary tasks.”
By note, the Argentine Down Syndrome Association (Asdra) repudiated the change in government classification. For the entity, the classification is discriminatory and stigmatizing against people with intellectual disabilities.
“These expressions, besides being unacceptable from an ethical and human rights point of view, reinforce prejudice and archaic conceptions that violate the dignity of people with intellectual disabilities. These are expressions introduced in 1912 and replaced for over 70 years, ”said the Argentine Association.
Originally published by Agência Brasil on 28/02/2025
By Lucas Pordeus León – Reporter of Agência Brasil – Brasília
Edition: Maria Claudia
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/02/28/argentina-sob-milei-recua-apos-classificar-deficientes-como-idiotas/
