It’s March 5 and we mark another year of the Spread the Word campaign, I find myself asking a question that weighs heavily on my heart: why, after all this time, are we still having this conversation?

It’s been sixteen years since the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign began in 2009, the year my son was born. Sixteen years of education, advocacy, and awareness-raising. Sixteen years of PSAs, celebrity endorsements, and social media campaigns. Sixteen years since we collectively recognized the harm caused by the r-word and committed to eliminating it from our vocabulary.

And yet, here we are in 2025, still fighting the same battle.

The persistence of harmful language

Last year, I noted how surprised people were that this campaign still exists. This year, that surprise has transformed into something more profound – a deep fatigue and frustration that society continues to normalize language that dehumanizes and degrades an entire community of people.

The statistics remain alarming. According to the Special Olympics, when social media users post about people with intellectual disabilities, 7 out of 10 posts are negative, and 6 out of 10 contain a slur. That’s 29 million social media posts in just a two-year period containing language that diminishes the humanity and dignity of people with intellectual disabilities.

Beyond words: The evolution of the campaign

The Spread the Word campaign has evolved beyond focusing solely on eliminating the r-word. Today, it encompasses a broader mission of fighting bullying and promoting inclusion. As the Special Olympics reports:

“Recently, the United Nations reported that 1 in 3 students worldwide reported being a victim of bullying in some capacity. For all ages, social statuses, genders, and backgrounds, bullying is prominent in school, sports, and virtually every social situation throughout childhood. Uniquely, bullying is universal, but that doesn’t mean bullying is equal for all groups.

Notably, for students and people with disabilities, the likelihood that a person is bullied doubles, as students often alienate one another by focusing on the differences among them.”

This expanded focus recognizes an uncomfortable truth: harmful language is just one manifestation of a deeper issue – the systematic exclusion and devaluation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The cost of our collective silence

Perhaps the most insidious obstacle to progress isn’t just those who use harmful language, but those of us who remain silent when we hear it. When we don’t speak up, we become complicit. We normalize. We enable.

What other slur against any marginalized group would we allow to pass without comment? What other dehumanizing language would we brush off as “not a big deal?”

Our silence speaks volumes, and what it says is devastating: that the dignity and humanity of people with intellectual disabilities is negotiable.

Creating a culture of inclusion in 2025 and beyond

After sixteen years, it’s clear that simply removing a word from our vocabulary isn’t enough. We must actively create environments where respect and inclusion are the default, not the exception.

For educators, this means teaching with empathy and facilitating challenging conversations about difference. For parents, it means modeling respectful language and attitudes at home. For all of us, it means having the courage to speak up when we witness exclusion or hear derogatory language.

As the Special Olympics notes:

“The best way to mitigate bullying in schools is to tackle it at its foundation – by maintaining an inclusive environment as teachers, so students can grow and learn in a place where inclusion is the norm rather than an eventual lesson.”

Moving forward: From awareness to action

I believe we’re at a crucial inflection point. After all these years, awareness is no longer enough. We need concrete action to transform our culture.

Here’s what you can do today:

1. Take the pledge at https://www.spreadtheword.global/
2. Commit to speaking up when you hear the r-word or witness exclusionary behavior
3. Actively create opportunities for inclusion in your workplace, school, or community
4. Educate yourself about intellectual disabilities and the experiences of those who live with them
5. Amplify the voices and stories of people with intellectual disabilities

The conversation we shouldn’t need to have

Yes, it’s frustrating that we’re still having this conversation in 2025. But as long as people with intellectual disabilities continue to experience bullying, exclusion, and dehumanization, we must keep having it – loudly, persistently, and with unwavering determination.

Words affect attitudes, and attitudes impact actions. By committing to respectful language and actively promoting inclusion, each of us has the power to create a world where campaigns like Spread the Word are no longer necessary.

Let’s make this the last generation that needs to be reminded that every human being deserves dignity, respect, and inclusion – no exceptions.

Will you join me in taking the pledge today?