#AdvocacyMatters: Words Matter

March 20, 2026 / #AdvocacyMatters

Words are powerful. Whether written down or spoken aloud, words can convey much more than just their dictionary meaning. Words can trigger memories, emotions, and feelings… and often harm.

Ahead of tomorrow's celebration of World Down Syndrome Day, a new ad campaign is out with a very clear and straightforward message: Leave the r-word slur in the past.

"The push comes as use of the r-word has accelerated in recent times, propelled by people like President Donald Trump and Elon Musk," Disability Scoop reported. A recent study discovered that use of the term increased by 225.7% on X/Twitter after President Trump used it in a post last November.

"We are aware that 90% of the time people use these words and it is not to directly offend people with disabilities," Martina Fuga, president of CoorDown, told the outlet. "But their use contributes to creating a cultural context that associates disability with inability, failure and marginality. The words we choose shape reality. We want every person who still uses these harmful expressions to stop today. Not because 'you can't say anything anymore,' but because they belong to the past."

"Using ableist slurs - like the r-word - isn't funny, entertaining, or appropriate," said Kerstin Sjoberg, President & CEO of Disability Rights Ohio. "Most of us were taught at a very early age not to use this kind of harmful language. We need to rise above these social media bullies and recognize that wrong is wrong."

You can learn more about tomorrow's World Down Syndrome Day and its global celebrations at www.worlddownsyndromeday.org.

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