How many times have you used the ‘R-word’ today?

Today marks Spread the Word to End the Word day around the world.

Back in February 2009, the campaign for Spread the Word to End the Word was started in hopes of ending use of the “r-word”.

The campaign was developed by kids who worked with and participated in the 2009 Special Olympics Winter Games, and it has been growing ever since.

What it means to us

Brooke Clayton, Freshman, English and Journalism:

“Growing up, everyone in my school – and probably in my town- knew Laney. She’s loud, funny, goes after she wants, and says things as they are. She is also mentally disabled.

“Laney is not just a great friend who puts a smile on my face, but she’s a smart girl who knows that she isn’t like everyone else. I constantly remind Laney not to apologize when she’s very particular about the way the money in monopoly faces, when she doesn’t want to go to work because she’s busy playing with my cat, or when she continually asks if I’m having fun.

“I remind her that I hang out with her because it makes me happy and because she is a friend. And I constantly remind her that I love her. She knows when someone jokingly calls something “retarded” that it is absolutely not ok. Before you say the R word, please think about Laney, or anybody like her.

“Think about the fact that while you might not mean to insult anybody, it is what you are doing.”

McKaylyn Lane, Freshman, Pre-Ocupational Therapy:

“I’ve been working with mentally disabled adults for about a year and half and it has totally changed my perspective on who they are and what they do – they’re just the same as everyone else. They are some of the most funny people you will ever meet in your life, and they’re also some of the most caring.

“Using the r-word isn’t treating them as an equal, it’s instead saying they’re anything but that. Everyone knows what that words means, they know its not a compliment, and they know it’s wrong. We all really need to think about what we say, and how it affects the people we say it around.”  

Why it’s important

Most high schools around the country participate in the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign and work with their district’s Best Buddies group to spread awareness, but it shouldn’t stop there. Colleges everywhere, including the University of Iowa, are still struggling to bring awareness to this organization.

As young adults, it is within our personal control to change the way society develops and thinks overtime. It’s time we all matured a little and made a promise to respect others.

The r-word is not only disrespectful, but it is also hurtful, exclusive, and derogatory.

Here at the University of Iowa I know I am free to be myself. Our campus is driven by the idea that students of all backgrounds, lifestyles, and ideals are welcome. So with a community that strives to be so accepting, why is it okay to use language that is not?

The answer: it’s not.

The reality is most people may not realize what they are saying is hurtful, since they do not say it with the intentions to hurt. But that doesn’t make it okay. No person should feel targeted, excluded, or uncomfortable because others don’t take the time to think before they speak. The way each person speaks is ultimately a self developed habit, so it’s important we all develop habits that are kind to others.

Take the initiative to make the change

Bettering ourselves and our campus does not simply stop at ending use of the r-word. No word that is religiously, culturally, or personally offensive should be tossed around as a “joke”.

When we speak we are not only representing ourselves but also our community, and it’s important that we represent it well. This is the time when we are all able to live our lives, be free, and express ourselves.

So why not take advantage of our voices and use them to make a difference?

We all come to college with hopes of great accomplishment. Everyone I’ve met here strives to be the best they can be, and hold’s themselves to no lower of a standard. If we can all learn to speak with love and respect one another, then we can make a difference. By changing one person’s life, in a way, you’ve already changed the world.

So now I ask you, my fellow Hawkeyes, to spread the word.