Posted by By Staff Writer, Valentine Morales
Never in my life have I used the R-slur. I have a physical reaction when people say it around me–I clench up, and hold it against them. To others it may seem like I’m overreacting but I’m not; to me this word is disgusting.
I am the eldest child, naturally I am protective of my siblings. Two of them were born with Down Syndrome, a condition that stunted their learning abilities, which does not mean others can call them names. I grew up defending them to friends, family, teachers, adults, anyone who thought it was ok to call them by that word. I hate that word, it holds so much hate in my heart. Growing up it was never even a discussion in my house, there was an unspoken agreement to never say it– there was never a reason to. My little siblings from around the age of three were discriminated against in every way imaginable, kicked out of schools for the most absurd
Never in my life have I used the R-slur.
reasons, bullied and sexually harassed by the kids in their class, and looked down upon by adults. My childhood was shaped by watching them struggle, their lives constantly affected by the opinions of strangers who thought they had the right to dictate how they should exist. The R-word only helps to fuel that. When I came to the high school I was shocked by how much I heard it in the hallways. Playful banter between friends, just thinking they were calling each other stupid, a “term of endearment” between buddies. Every time I heard that word however, I just remembered its harm. For some reason the R-slur became extremely popular among younger generations, just with less knowledge of its derogatory connotation. Still, that same word was only used against my siblings with hatred, so I feel uncomfortable hearing it—especially from friends.
207.5% increase in the use of the word
Unfortunately, the use of the word has increased drastically over the years. When Twitter (now X) was bought by Elon Musk in the fall of 2022, he made a post containing the R-slur. After that, there was a 207.5% increase in the usage with 312,642 posts containing the word. Because this person with high influence brought it into his vocabulary, people normalized it. Previously social media sites sought to mitigate the use of this word through guidelines and policies, however these mitigations appear to be receding. Young teenagers around the country are heavily influenced by the language used by their peers. If high profiled people such as Elon Musk, who was a government official, openly advertises the word, people will start to normalize it. Weak arguments to validate the usage of the word have arisen with the first amendment coming in strong. “Freedom of speech” is protected, but many people take this the wrong way. Your freedom of speech should not bring others down, it should not produce discrimination and hate, your words impact people, limiting their ability to thrive. While people often say this word passively, or without intention of harm, frequent use of this word normalizes discrimination against people like my siblings. Your words should not be directed at people you know nothing about.
My friends have stopped saying it, or they catch themselves right away and apologize, which I really appreciate. It can be awkward to correct someone or tell them why they can’t use it. Usually there is a moment of uncomfortable silence, but I will keep doing it. This is something people need to know more about. Your words have an impact, and the people around you notice, my siblings notice, I notice.
The Maroon 