Imagine if we all lived in a world where your name was used as a derogatory slur. “Wow, did you see how Noah that was? What an idiot!” or “You’re so Kelsey.” Sounds pretty ridiculous, right? Also sounds pretty hurtful since people are using a part of your identity to describe something horrible and demeaning. Now try to imagine how a person who is cognitively impaired feels when you crack your next joke using the R word. There you are, taking a part of their identity to describe something irrelevant all to get a good laugh. Instead of using a dictionary or thesaurus, you choose to use an outdated, old medical term that has been replaced over 20 years ago. Would it sound right if someone used your name in place of a foul word? No, so stop and think before you misuse a word to describe something that is really the opposite of the R-word. If something is stupid or silly then call it what it is, please do not use the R-word. Now some of you might be confused right now as to what word I’m referring to, however, it’s a word several of us have become so accustomed to that you might have forgotten the severity of this word. Retarded. There. I said it.

I remember when I was in fifth grade, "Mean Girls" came out, and the slang on the playground had changed. This was the first time I had ever heard the R word. I had no idea the true meaning behind this word and frankly, all I knew was that all of other kids were saying it and I believe they didn’t know as well. Fast forward to sixth grade when I started hanging out with the coolest kids I had ever met who all just happened to be part of the special education program. I had become very close to almost all of the students in that hallway, to the dismay of one kid in my gym class who had asked me why I wanted to hang with “retards.” As he spit out the last word as if it was poison, tears filled my eyes instantly and in that ugly act of humanity, I had realized the severity of the R word. How did this student not see how amazing, kind, sweet, and special my friends were? Why was that word even used? I had made a vow that day to never use the R word again unless I was explaining to others how hurtful it really is.

Several of my best friends are cognitively impaired—I was even blessed with a beautiful cousin, Haley, who has Downs Syndrome. She is thriving in school and is just the cutest, brightest ray of sunshine. Not to mention, is beautiful in any and every way possible. My other friends like Katie, Zack, Nate, Chris, and many more have so much to offer the word. They get excited over things several people take advantage of—their smiles stretch across their faces, and it’s near impossible not to smile and laugh when I am with them. They all have different hobbies, some even work in local business and love to sing and dance. Calling them the R-word or referring to something as retarded is downright demeaning and insulting. You are taking away so much just by using this word, as if who they are is a monster, a joke—a punch line. They are just truly spectacular people, and using the word retarded as a slur and derogatory language is malicious.

Now, I understand that several of you might not even be aware that using the R-word is derisive and unkind. It is a word that almost all of us have grown up hearing, whether that be at home, at school, or in a movie or song. It could just be another word in your daily vocabulary you use to describe the rush hour traffic or the behavior of another, but if you just took the time to fully realize the brutality of that word, it might enable you to stop using it all together. Then, you could also use this information to spread the word that we need to just all ban together to stop the use of the R word. This my friends, is called the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign.

Readers, I urge you to think before you speak and encourage others to do the same. You might not realize how hurtful the R-word can be to those who are cognitively impaired, but as a human being and a future CTRS, I do. Educate yourselves with the correct terminology and update your vocabulary if necessary. First you need to teach yourselves not to say it, then teach your family, your friends, strangers you meet, anyone you hear use the R-word—basically any human being you meet it’s not OK to use this word. Let’s all join this movement together and spread the word to end the word, once and for all.