If you haven’t said it yourself, you’ve probably (at one point in time) heard someone else say, “that’s retarded.”
A lot of kids and young adults in our generation think calling someone the R-word is OK, even if it’s a joke. What they don’t realize is there is a growing awareness that these words used as slander are more hurtful than one can imagine -- no matter how they are used.
The United States government passed a requirement that all documents and laws should now use the term “intellectual disability” as a replacement for mental retardation.
This stemmed from Rosa’s Law, named after Rosa Marcellino, a young girl from Maryland who has Down syndrome. Like Rosa, many children and adults suffered from bullying, through the use of the R-word.
I personally chose to eliminate this word out of my vocabulary when I became aware of a very popular non-profit called Project Sunshine.
Odds are, you have a chapter at your college, and if so I urge you to educate yourself about what this organization does for others, as well as how you can be apart of a huge change in our society.
The R-Word is demeaning, and the following is a list of reasons why you should stop using it:
The R-word is exclusive.
The R-word ignores individuality.
The R-word equated intellectual disability with being “dumb” or “stupid.”.
The R-word spreads hurt.
The R-word is offensive.
The R-word is incorrect.
The R-word is derogatory.
The R-word fosters loneliness.
The R-word is hate speech.
Now it’s your turn, help support the elimination of the derogatory use of the R-word from everyday speech, and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities by signing the pledge.
We are all the creation of something beautiful, we deserve to be treated that way.
We are valuable, important, and most of all loved by family and friends.
The R-word should not be used as a false representation of your individuality, regardless of who you are as a person.
Sign the pledge and make a change.
