On March 6 the international campaign, “Spread the Word to End the Word” took off once again. Each year, Special Olympics and Best Buddies International asks people all over the world to sign a pledge to stop using the word ‘retard(ed).’
Here are a few reasons why you should also pledge:
The Word Hurts. The word is offensive, derogatory, and exclusive. Often used in everyday conversation or jokingly, it has become a synonym for ‘dumb’ or ‘stupid.’ This only creates painful stereotypes that people with that ID are ‘dumb’ or ‘stupid.’ By using the word ‘retard’ or ‘retarded,’ the person using it furthers the idea that people with intellectual disabilities are less valued members of the community.
Even if the use of the word is not meant to offend a person with a disability, it still hurts them.
It’s Time to Create an Accepting Community. By ending the use of the R-word, our community can continue to grow towards a more accepting attitude towards people different than ourselves. As the campaign states, “Language affects attitudes and attitudes affect actions.”
Language has Evolved. “Mental Retardation” and “Mentally Retarded” were originally only medical words used to describe patients with intellectual impairments. However, as the word became more and more pejoratively used to degrade people with intellectual disabilities, the community pushed to create a more accepting language, rather than focusing on the person’s disability and not them as a person. This language has become known as people-first language.
People-First Language. This new form of terminology focuses on individual’s gifts, talents, and accomplishments instead of focusing on their disability. For example, instead of saying ‘an Autistic child,’ one should say ‘a child with Autism.” Or instead of ‘a mentally disabled person,’ say ‘a person with a mental disability.’ This language helps reinforce that the people are the most important part of who they are, they are not just known as their disability.
Language Becomes Law. In fact, during President Obama’s first term, he signed a bill into law entitled, “Rosa’s Law,” which according to r-word.org “removes the terms ‘mental retardation’ and ‘mentally retarded’ from federal health, education and labor policy and replaces them with people-first language such as ‘individual with an intellectual disability’ and ‘intellectual disability.’”
The R-word certainly isn’t going to disappear from every single person’s vocabulary tomorrow, and maybe not even five years from now. But it is important to understand that making this small step towards a more accepting community can make a huge difference in the life of someone who may not be able to stand up for him or herself.
Choosing to eliminate the R-Word from your vocabulary comes at no cost to you, but it will benefit the lives of so many. So please consider checking out http://www.r-word.org/ and signing the pledge today.
Don’t forget, “Spread the Word to End the Word” today!
Check out this PSA about the campaign here:
http://youtu.be/T549VoLca_Q
Photo Credit:
http://www.valmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/SpreadTheWordToEndTheWord.jpg