Let's Stop Using the "R-Word"

Most people don't stop to think about the words they use every day and how they might be offensive or hurtful to others. One of these words, very common in our current vocabulary, is the r-word...retard. Friends use it with each other all the time without thinking about how they are essentially perpetuating a negative stereotype of people who have disabilities. This word is offensive and hurtful to the many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Not too long ago some of them were officially referred to as 'mentally retarded." As kids, they may have been called the R-word by classmates and, unfortunately, even by adults.

Let's show respect for these people by stopping the use of the R-word. Imagine how it must feel for the parent of an autistic child, or the sibling of a child with cerebral palsy, when someone casually calls someone else a 'retard' because they messed something up or did something "stupid". That word hurts, and, as Eddie Barnabell, an actor with Down Syndrome, says, "I think they shouldn't use that word because it hurts people. Why would you want to hurt people?"

If you're thinking, "It's just a word, not that big a deal", check out the Social Challenge website: http://www.thesocialchallenge.org/. Watch in real time as tweets pop up literally every few seconds using the word 'retard'. Not only do people playfully use it among friends or even when referring to themselves, but I was shocked and hurt to see the number of people who used it in direct reference to a person with a disability. A few examples of tweets using the r-word,
"I miss you like a retard misses the point."
"you've got some competition with that retard forrest gump as a trending topic. I think you can take em"
"I remember when I first saw I Am Sam I was laughing hysterically at Sean Penn! I was such a horrible kid laughing at a movie retard lol"
"went to the gym on sat. for the first time in wayyy too long. soreness wore off, but i feel like i'm still walking like a retard."
"Forest Gump??? Hey Twitter, Forrest Gump is a retard and even he can spell his name right."
"I need someone to help me with my chem homework :( I feel like a retard"
"Are you a retard? Learn to spell"

The use of the word is offensive because it furthers the stereotype of intellectually and developmentally disabled people as "retarded" and all the negative connotations that word entails. Most of us personally know or knew someone with an intellectual or developmental disability. Think of that person the next time you're about to use the word retard or retarded. Think about how that word was historically used to describe them and how, by using that word in a bad context, you are perpetuating a derogatory image of intellectually and developmentally disabled people. They may have a disability, but they are so much more than their disability.

Please go to the Spread the Word to End the Word website here: http://www.r-word.org/ and make the pledge to stop using the r-word, and to advise those you see using the word about its offensiveness.

I don't use the word, but I have friends who do and unfortunately I never thought twice about how offensive it might be. As a future special education teacher, I feel this cause is especially important to me, and I will definitely do my part to try to stop people from using it absent-mindedly, and most definitely work to stop its use when people are specifically referring to an intellectually or developmentally disabled person.

If you are a parent, don't let your kids use the r-word. If you are a teacher, don't allow your students to use that word in reference to each other or even in reference to themselves.

Let's make it about respect. If we want to show respect towards our friends, neighbors, and/ or family members that may be intellectually or developmentally disabled, let's take the r-word completely out of our vocabulary.

Resources

http://www.thesocialchallenge.org/

http://www.r-word.org/r-word-video_johnny_knoxville_eddie_barbanell_and_the_r-word.aspx