Saturday, 27 August 2016

Essential Tips Regarding The R Word Pledge

By Lisa Brooks


The R word movement is ideally a national campaign in the United States that is usually aimed at encouraging all the citizens to avoid using offensive and dehumanizing terms such as retard. This term has a long history since it has been used for quite a while. The R word pledge thereby advocates for the believe that the usage of this term retarded in everyday or even colloquial speech is unacceptable, hurtful and very dehumanizing to the many individuals that have intellectual incapacities.

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.

There is also some controversy surrounding the alternative terms that should be used in place of retard. Many experts believe that using intellectual disability is an ideal replacement for mental retardation. This is because many believe that retardation evokes the term retard, and thus brings up very demeaning and painful memories of ridicule and also rejection.

In conclusion, the most important thing to always remember is that all of us are one people, and therefore every person should and must always come before their state or particular condition, however complicated it could be.




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