Just stop using the R-word!
It’s not OK to use that word.
It’s not OK to call someone else that word.
It’s not OK to call yourself that word.
Through the years we have, as a society, deemed many words unacceptable. The R-word is now considered unacceptable.
Please stop using it.
Why is using the word “retarded” unacceptable, you may ask? Because it lumps everybody into one bucket. Instead of looking at the gifts and talents of each individual, instead of looking at the strengths and abilities we each have, it looks only at the negative.
My son has Down syndrome, and he is a truly cool guy. He is an amazing drummer. He has friends with disabilities who are awesome 3-point basketball players, friends who are actors, and friends who run their own businesses.
My son and his friends are amazing. They are funny, they are smart, they want to have fun, they want to have friends. They are just like everyone else!
So on Spread the Word to End the Word Day, I ask you, I beg you: quit using the R-word. Please!
Happily married and mom to three boys, our youngest son Raymond is 18 with Down syndrome. I am wildly passionate about inclusion and believe that we are all worthy of being included! I believe so strongly~ that we wrote a book! Check out the book: Fully Included~Stories To Inspire Inclusion! I am a mom. An author. A writer. An advocate. An entrepreneur. We currently live in the Jacksonville Beach, Florida area.
mtetschner