to see that people i considered myself to be decently good friends with, close or not, use such a historically cruel word as if itโs just another swear or phrase genuinely saddens me.
the R slur is not just another word, and itโs not something you can causally toss around as if there isnโt history behind it explaining the cruelty itโs caused for so many people, predominantly those who are intellectually disabled. it is not a word to replace the term stupid or dumb with. and itโs definitely not a word you use to refer to your favourite influencer or person.
as adults, i would hope that we know by now, the power our words hold, whether or not theyโre affecting those theyโre directed at or someone just scrolling through their phone. if someone who just happens to scroll by a post with the slur it in, and theyโve been upset by it. even if theyโre not directly affected by that word, what would that mean for someone who is targeted and affected by that word due to their disability?
those who can genuinely reclaim that word still choose not to for a reason, and itโs because how cruel it is, itโs because of what the word means and stands for. and there is a group of very specific disabilities that are able to reclaim it, and the autism community does not fit into the group that can reclaim it. autistic people cannot and should not ever reclaim the r slur.
edit: autistic people can reclaim the slur, if they have other comorbid disabilities, meaning if they have an/another intellectual disability alongside their autism.
to call someone that very slur, youโre not only demeaning and dehumanizing the person youโre calling it, youโre giving the word more power to continue dehumanizing an entire community of people. youโre reducing people to nothing more than their disabilities. youโre turning their disabilities into something to use as an insult, when thatโs not the case. but what it does do, is make you an ableist.
to be ableist is to view yourself as though youโre above those with disabilities, is to put people with disabilities down. they are human. they are people. weโre all human, weโre all people. no one is better than anyone.
your words reflect who you are as a person. they reflect your character, and if youโre so comfortable as to use such a disgusting word, as if itโs nothing, what do you think that means? we need to think about what we say when weโre posting for so many people to see because our words affect everyone, wether theyโre directly involved in the conversation or not. you need to be mindful, observant, and a little more wary about what you say.
i donโt know how someone can feel okay using that word, and this is making me reflect on who i surround myself with and who i associate with, because i donโt stand with cruel behaviour like this. i donโt agree with people using these words. every space i create, online and in person, is meant to be a safe space for those around me, for every person, for every group of people. i welcome everyone into my life, whether youโve got a disability or not, and i want you to feel safe. i donโt defend using slurs, and because of this, i will absolutely distance myself from those involved, especially if they cannot see why people are upset.
to those that have been hurt by todays actions, even though i am not involved in the group nor was i involved in the conversation, i apologize. that word should never be used, by anyone. and if you are hurt by that word, i am so sorry. i canโt take away a lifetime of hurt caused by the r slur, but i can help by standing with you and helping your voice be heard.
to those that thought it was okay to post that and to the person that said it, please be better. please do better as a human being. take time to really, seriously, reflect on your actions. take time and this experience to grow as a human. realize that your actions do have consequences. poor actions donโt necessarily make you a bad person, but if they become a pattern without any genuine change, which these actions are starting to become a pattern, then you need to work on yourself.
edit: also, how can you claim to be a fan of the triplets, and yet say such mean and hateful things about them? how can you claim to be a fan and constantly call them ugly, stupid, and even call them fat, when they are nowhere near any of those things, especially not fat. again, your words wonโt affect just them, but everyone that sees what you say.
