Notes On The R Word Pledge

By Lisa Brooks


The R-word advocacy or rather pledge, can be simply defined as a national program or campaign that was incepted and practiced in United States, and it aims at typically discouraging people from using any offensive term, or any term that may evoke the emotions of certain individuals. The movement thereby seeks to encourage people to refrain from using dehumanizing terms or sentiments, for instance retard. The R word pledge therefore focuses on ensuring all people feel appreciated and accepted in the society.

The movement mainly concentrates on advocating for the usage of language that accommodates and respects the integrity, dignity and value of intellectually impaired persons. Advocates strongly believe that people suffering from cognitive disabilities and any other developmental abnormalities are very much capable of enjoying their lives and experiences. Additionally, they maintain that that causal references to words retard and its various forms make intellectually disable individuals feel intimidated and less human.

This campaign under discussion is basically a youth-driven advocacy movement, and it is supported by two organizations namely Special Olympics and also Best Buddies International. These are the key organizations that have played a big role in the movement, since its inception. The movement was created by the youth having intellectual disabilities, as well as those without, and participated in Special Olympics Global Youths Active Summit. This was at the Special Olympic Winter Games that were held in 2009.

The sole motivation for the inception of the campaign was largely fueled by a common and united passion to foster or promote the ideal positive contributions made by persons having intellectual disabilities. The advocacy against the usage of the r term retard was also meant to symbolize the positive change in attitude, and also make the current world more accommodative for all people, regardless of their intellectual capacities.

There has however been controversy that elicits from the fact that people are not sure of the intentions of the movement, and whether it seeks to ban the term retard completely, or if the term can be applied under certain contexts. The effort and intention of the advocacy is usually aimed at drawing the attention to the reality that large numbers of people living with intellectual impairments are normally hurt and feel offended when they are called retards. The main goal is to raise as much awareness as possible on the adverse impacts of this demeaning term.

To clear on this, the pledge has time and again made it clear that it only intends to discourage as many people as possible from including the offensive terms such as retards in their speeches, whether formal or informal. This is because such terms demean them hence making them feel inferior and unwanted. It is very wrong to ridicule people because of their various conditions, not matter what.

The general aim of the initiative is to let the society know that using this word is highly offensive and wrong, and so people can think way before they speak and also realize their words possess a lot of power. The campaign encourages people to have conversations about using the said term, so that they realize whoever is listening whenever they use the R word, and also who they might be hurting.

In culmination, the campaign against using dehumanizing terms like retard is very important, as it helps people with intellectual as well as development problems feel appreciated and accepted in the society. It aims at educating and making people aware of how harmful it is to use the term retard.




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