Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Events Scheduled To "Spread The Word To End The R-Word"

It's called "Spread the Word to End the R-Word, " and it's a campaign to try and get people to stop using the word 'retarded'.  That campaign locally, organized by the Golisano Foundation is now in its fifth year and there are a number of activities over the next week to bring awareness to the issue and how the use of the word retarded is disparaging to people with intellectual disabilities.

Foundation director Ann Costello says this campaign really focuses on young people, so that the next generations will move away from using that word.

"It was started by college students five or six years ago, so the audience, the target is young people, colleges, high schools, middle schools but of course we'd love for businesses and individuals to take up the cause as well."

Costello says  more and more people are signing a pledge to stop using that word, but it still gets used too often.

"People who say it often don't mean to be rude or cruel, the word has found its way into popular culture, people will say it's a medical term, but we know it hurts. It's as offensive as any other slur and it's time we are sensitive and start to think about people with intellectual disabilities and how it affects them."

There are a number of events over the next week where you can take the pledge for the End the 'R' word campaign, mainly at area colleges and universities. You can find a list of those events and also take the pledge here.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.