I FEEL LIKE MOST PEOPLE DONâT UNDERSTAND WHY THE R SLUR IS A SLUR
THE REASON IT IS ONE IS BECAUE THAT USED TO BE THE NAME OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.
NOT ONLY HAVE PEOPLE USED THAT TERM TO DEGRADE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED PEOPLE, THAT TERM AND DIAGNOSIS IN PARTICULAR WERE USED TO STERILIZE, INSTITUTIONALIZE, INCARCERATE, ABUSE, AND EVEN KILL THEM.
THAT TERM WAS USED TO DENY LIFE-SAVING CARE, ONEâS AUTONOMY, AND EVEN, THEIR LIFE. THAT TERM WAS USED TO STRIP ONE AWAY OF THEIR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY. THAT TERM WAS FACTORED INTO EUGENICS.
ITS WHAT THEYâVE BEEN SAYING SINCE THE 70âS, BUT BECAUSE MOST CONVERSATION AROUND IT JUST BECOMES âJUST DONâT SAY IT AROUND THEMâ AND/OR âTHATâS JUST A MEAN WORDâ, SOCIETY HAS BEEN TAUGHT THAT TERMS LIKE THE R SLUR ARE JUST PROFANE WAYS OF DEMEANING SOMEONEâS INTELLIGENCE.
AND DONâT GET ME STARTED ON HOW INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED PEOPLEâS ACTIVISM IS OFTEN UNDERMINED BY BOTH SIDES, WITH âALLIESâ GOING âTHOSE POOR THINGS CANâT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVESâ AND THE DEFENDERS OF THAT SLUR RESPONDING WITH âWELL, IF THEY CANâT SPEAK UP, THEY MIGHT AS WELL NOT CARE. AFTER ALL, THEYâRE TOO [R SLUR] TO BE HUMAN, LET ALONE THINK FOR THEMSELVES.â
AND NO, ITS NOT PERFORMATIVE TO TELL PEOPLE NOT TO USE THE SLUR, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IS? PRETENDING TO CARE, BUT WHEN THEYâRE NOT âRELEVANTâ, THAT TERMâS BACK IN YOUR LEXICON. PRETENDING TO CARE, BUT UNDERMINING THE GROUPâS ADVOCACY. PRETENDING TO CARE, BUT NOT CARING ABOUT OTHER FORMS OF ABLEISM AND EVEN PARTAKING IN THEM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE GROUP SAYS. PRETENDING TO CARE, BUT DROPPING US THE MOMENT NOBODY ELSE DOES.
THE R SLUR AND OTHERS LIKE IT ARENâT JUST âMEAN WORDSâ OR âEDGELORD BEHAVIORâ, THOSE TERMS ARE INDICATIVE OF HATRED, REPULSION, AND DISREGARD FOR OUR DIGNITY, OUR BODIES, OUR LIVES, OUR HUMANITY. NOT JUST FOR THE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED COMMUNITY (ESPECIALLY THEM, THOUGH), BUT FOR THE ENTIRE DISABLED COMMUNITY AS WELL. NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PROCLAIM YOUR âLOVEâ FOR US, WHEN YOU THROW AROUND THOSE TERMS CARELESSLY, IT SHOWS THAT YOU DO NOT LOVE US LIKE HUMANS. YOUâRE JUST WILLING TO SHOW YOUR ASS TO US BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT WE WONâT GIVE A SHIT. WELL GUESS WHAT, WE DO, AND THOSE TERMS CARRY AMOUNTS OF HISTORICAL BAGGAGE THAT WILL STAIN IT, NO MATTER HOW YOU TRY AND SPIN IT. TERMS LIKE THE R SLUR HELP RAVAGE AND STRIP LIVES LIKE OURS, AND I BELIEVE THE REASON THAT THOSE TERMS HAVE COME BACK IN STYLE IS BECAUSE THATâS THE ONLY ABLEISM THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO CHECK, AND EVEN THEN, THEY PROBABLY DONâT THINK IT EXISTS ANYWAY, AND IN THEIR MINDS, WEâRE JUST OVERDRAMATIC OR DONâT CARE ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SAY OR DO TO OR ABOUT US.
I CANâT BELIEVE I HAVE TO SAY THIS AGAIN, BUT WE DO. WE FEEL IT, AND IT HURTS.