In our fifth installment in our week-long Spread the Word to End the Word campaign, freshman Nina Rutzen, a member of Best Buddies, reflects on the hurtful use of the r-word. Come back tomorrow for another guest article.

Many people do not realize that the r-word is hurtful. Some even use it in their everyday language. This needs to stop. Using the r-word to define someone is unacceptable and will have a strong impact on that individual’s life. The r-word has a negative connotation and it can also make someone feel down. Also, using the r-word excludes someone from your group. Instead, replace that negative word with another word, such as hero, and begin to include people from all walks of life.

Additionally, the r-word subjects you to other people’s opinions. The r-word is a slur and when someone hears it come out of your mouth they may immediately form an opinion of you. You may be considered as uneducated or ignorant. You would not want people’s opinion of you to be one derogatory word, or based off of one action, and neither does anyone else. No one wants to be defined with one word.