People are using the R-word again online and IRL [Video]

Once pushed to the margins of acceptable language thanks to campaigns like “Spread the Word to End the Word,” the R-word all but disappeared from common use by the early 2010s. But in 2024, it seems to be making a troubling comeback, particularly on social media platforms like X. This reemergence is more than a linguistic relapse — it’s a reflection of how digital platforms are reshaping cultural norms in a way that seems to prioritize engagement over all else.

“⁤⁤Its increasing use stands in the face of decades of progress,” Katy Neas, the CEO of The Arc, a group whose work focuses on promoting and protecting the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, told Mashable. “⁤⁤People with disabilities have made it clear: this term is hurtful and unacceptable. ⁤⁤Yet, [the] persistence of this slur shows we still have work to do.”

As social media platforms like X allow offensive language to spread …