The R-Word
- Natalie Ham
- May 4, 2022
- 2 min read
Please read before proceeding: This article is to be used in an educational sense. My opinion is present, but the goal for this article is to present the information as it is so that the reader can formulate their own opinion regarding who can use the slur researched below. I will not be using the full r-slur in this article (it will be censored).
The Origins
In 1961, “mental r*tardation” was introduced as a medical term for people with intellectual disabilities. The American Association on Mental Retardation was established in 1961 and was adopted by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM).
Modern Usage
Now, the r-slur has integrated into common language as an insult, regardless if the victim has a disability or not. It is now used as an insult, oftentimes synonymous for “stupid” or “idiot”. Its incessant usage is offensive and disrespectful because it is used to describe or insult individuals with intellectual disabilities or to insult people, places, and things by comparing them to individuals with real, intellectual disabilities.
In 2010, President Barack Obama signed “Rosa’s Law,” which changed “mental retardation” to “intellectual disability” in U.S. federal law. Inspired by 9-year-old Rosa Marcellino, the law was a key milestone to promoting inclusive, people-first language.
Before you leave this article, I want to leave you with a quote by Nick Marcellino, Rosa’s teenage brother. He said, “What you call people is how you treat them. If we change the words, maybe it will be the start of a new attitude toward people with disabilities.” By being conscious of the words that we use in our daily conversations, we can avoid indirectly hurting people who identify with the group targeted. There are many other ways to express distaste or discomfort, but using slurs in a reckless manner is not the way to do such.
Here are some more resources to better understand the f-slur and the consequences of its usage.
Personal Stories of people being called the r-word and what it meant to them https://www.aruma.com.au/about-us/blog/lets-end-the-r-word/
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