The "G" Word

Recently a movement has begun to eliminate the use of the word “retarded” (or “R-word”) to refer to people with intellectual disabilities or as a general description of anything deemed stupid or dumb. The “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign focuses on this issue and has gained momentum in schools across the country. A current public service announcement suggests that the term retarded is just as offensive as the negative racial, ethnic and societal terms that have been used to describe other minorities throughout our history. Jane Lynch, of Glee fame, states in the PSA that “The R-word is the same as every minority slur. Treat it that way and don’t use it.”

Students from Fishers High School picked up the campaign last Spring. Members of the “Best Buddies” program, which pairs students who have intellectual disabilities with those that don’t, pledged to help promote the end of the R-word among their classmates at school.

Bravo to these Fishers students and the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign. Ending the derogatory connotation of the word retarded is long overdue. Now that this issue has been illuminated, it makes perfect sense that this word be dropped as a put-down in our general vocabulary.

In that spirit, I’d like to propose that we discourage the misuse of another word that has over time developed a negative connotation. Gay. Or the “G-word” if you like. How many times have you heard kids (or adults unfortunately) refer to something as “gay” when what they really mean is something is lame, stupid or weird? Hearing this use of the word gay is just as offensive to a homosexual person as the term retarded is for a person with intellectual disabilities.

If something is lame, say it’s lame. If it’s stupid or weird, say stupid or weird. Don’t say gay.  At best, using the term gay as a derogatory slam is a lazy way to express yourself.  At worst, it’s hurtful and demeaning to an entire group of people.

As parents hopefully we try to promote the value of tolerance, acceptance and sensitivity in our children toward people who are different from us. By letting our kids casually call something gay as a way to berate it, we give the green light for prejudice and discrimination.

To those that would argue that this is just a silly issue of  “word police” or political correctness and banning words is (insert) retarded/gay, I would say that if you’re the one on the end of a slur, it matters. And it should matter to all of us who tell our kids that other people’s feelings count.

Column originally appears in Current in Fishers http://currentinfishers.com/