The following is an excerpt from Disability Scoop’s article, “Resurgence Of ‘R-Word’ Alarms Disability Advocates,” detailing Special Olympics’ work to stop the use of the R-Word and the rise in the use of the term in recent times.
Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that former President Donald Trump called Vice President Kamala Harris “retarded” during a meeting with donors. The term has also gained traction on social media. And, on a recent episode of the FX show “English Teacher,” two teachers decided that their students “are not into being woke anymore,” noting that things have “circled back around” such that “they’re saying the r-word again.”
“The resurgence of the r-word, particularly online, is more than just concerning—it’s a painful reminder of our society’s gut-wrenching history of discrimination against people with disabilities,” said Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States.” This word isn’t just offensive; it’s a demeaning relic of a past we’ve worked tirelessly to overcome.”
Between 2009 and 2019, Special Olympics’ “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign urged people to abandon use of the r-word. More than 780,000 people took an online pledge to “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” as part of the effort.
The campaign was so effective that Special Olympics evolved its messaging in 2019 to focus on inclusion more generally rather than the r-word in specific. Now, however, the organization said that the most visited page on its website is one focusing on the r-word and they are again rethinking their approach.
