So Much More than a Word
A Testimony by Jonathan Vargas of Holyoke Community College; Jon is a Best Buddies International Global Ambassador, Advocate, and Friend.
I have seen numerous times, especially in schools, the “r-word” being used as a way for someone with a disability to be bullied. There was a time when I was on the playground during recess and I was bullied by a group of kids. They would make fun how speak and how I feel uncomfortable in big groups of people. They even called me the “r-word.” That hurt.
My disability shouldn’t be labeled as “the r-word”, especially since it’s used to hurt people, and I am so much more than that word. Having a disability doesn’t make me sad. It is what makes me unique. But people who use the “r-word” do make me sad. This is why we should stop the “r-word,” and spread the word to end the word, because people with disabilities are unique and special in their own way.
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Pledge your support to end the R-Word here.