The R-word was taboo as a slur for people with disabilities. Now it is back to normal

Growing up with Down syndrome, Liz Atmansky says she was called a lot of derogatory names at school — but the main one was always the R-word.

“(It’s like) the wind has touched you, like you can’t see them. It’s really like an attack on your heart,” said Atmansky, a 40-year-old artist, writer and lawyer who lives in Surrey, B.C.

“People who use it think they can get away with it…all they’re doing is letting you down.”

The R-word has been considered taboo for years, used as a slur against people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 2010s, including celebrities kardashian and basketball player LeBron James apologized To use it publicly.

But despite its current potential to cause harm, this abuse seems to be on the rise again. Whereas, it has been frequently used by high-profile celebrities like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan US President Donald Trump made this allegation against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in a Thanksgiving Day post last year. Montclair State University discovered that people appeared to follow his example in the coming weeks More than threefold increase in word usage on social media platform.

Paul Etherington, who co-founded the disability awareness nonprofit Motionball, says he’s definitely noticed that people are using slang more frequently in the last two to three years.

“Sadly, I think it’s because of North American and international leaders, whether it’s in technology or industry or government, who think it’s OK to use that word,” said Etherington, whose organization encourages people to stop using the R-word with its campaign No Good Way.

Look R-word for advertising address World Down Syndrome Day 2026:

Amy Hewitt is a researcher who focuses on helping people with intellectual disabilities engage in their communities. She says politicians use the word to make other people think it’s OK – but there was also a perception that the debate over the R-word was over.

“We’ve kind of created this perception that we’re beyond this and we’re not,” said Hewitt, director of the Institute for Community Integration at the University of Minnesota.

“New people are born, new people grow up. And I think it’s a constant educational campaign.”

Freedom of expression?

The use of the R-word is often used as a freedom of speech issue; Rogan described its resurgence as “one of the great cultural triumphs” in an episode of his podcast last year.

For Hewitt, attention cannot be separated from its impact on being free to say something.

“My question is, ‘Why would you want to use language that is considered harmful, and people are asking you not to use it?'” she said.

“You’re showing who you are as a human being if you think it’s okay to still use words that people say are hurtful to them.”

Hewitt said she’s seen that impact firsthand: Her brother-in-law has an intellectual disability. One day at a grocery store, he overheard another customer calling someone the R-word.

“He was happy and smiling and when he heard this, it felt like someone had stabbed him in the gut,” she said. “It was a solid punch.”

She said she would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Rogan.

“There are probably other words, offensive words that he doesn’t want to use for whatever reason, and I would like to share with him the reasons why he might not want to use the R-word,” she said.

“I think if he can sit down with Liz and other people who have been hurt by that word, he can listen — but we have to have that kind of engagement.”

speak for yourself

Liz Atmansky’s father, Al Atmansky, said it is important for people with disabilities to have the opportunity to speak for themselves.

She said her daughter has always tried to do the same, including name calling in high school.

“The perception should be that everyone is welcome, everyone is already contributing, and our job is to uncover it, recognize it, appreciate it, and remove the barriers,” said Al, who is in his 70s, a longtime parenting advocate and author. power of disability.

For her part, Liz has been living independently from her parents for two decades, and enjoys being able to “make her own decisions”.

She said, “I call my parents when I need help, or they are there whenever I need to talk. They became my friends in my life.”

As an artist, she sees people as works of art – and she wants the world to see her that way.

“A work of art, I use that instead of the R-word, I think all people are so unique,” she said.