How many times have we heard children (and even adults) say, “That’s retarded”? The answer is probably too many to count. While racial slurs and other derogatory terms have fallen out of popular use, the words “retard” and “retarded” are often overused and abused.
Lauren Potter and Jane Lynch, stars of NBC hit Glee, say it’s not acceptable to use the “R-word.” Their 30-second PSA is a startling and compelling call to action to end the use of the “R-word.” Potter, who has Down syndrome, and co-star Lynch asks you to treat the “R-word” as any other minority slur, and the video features minority speakers re-iterating the “not acceptable” slogan.
The video was given the 2012 DoGooder Nonprofit Video Award in the “Fearless Video” category, presented by YouTube. Over 1,000 applicants tried for this award, and the “R-word” PSA is one of four recipients of the award.
The PSA was created by the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign, aimed at putting an end to the use of the word “retard.” The subject of the “R-word” has received much attention lately; former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel apologized for using it in a private meeting in 2009, and a filmmaker is asking for a substitute for “retarded” in the upcoming film Anchorman 2.
Visit r-word.org for more information and for some tips about how you can help spread the word to end the word. View the video on YouTube, but be advised of the controversial language.
