In a world where equality is becoming more and more prevalent, there are still people who have yet to be heard. The prominence of ableist language is rampant, especially in high schools. Saying slurs like the r-word , calling someone autistic in a derogatory way, labeling someone with a physical disability “crippled,” mocking or mimicking those with certain disorders in a way that is disrespectful to those who are neurodivergent (people who have brains that process information in a way that is different from the majority) or to those who are living with disabilities.
The public should be mindful that slurs and demeaning ‘jokes’ are not said without the context of the underlying painful history of how words like this have been used against people.
The use of ableist language is not without real harm. Autistic people are shown to have a much greater suicide rate than those who are neurotypical, and one main contributor of this is the repeated use of ableist language, direct or not. A systematic review done by Sofia Zahid and Rachel Upthegrove about Suicidality in Autism Spectrum Disorders says that up to 72% of autistic people may go through suicidal ideation. When you are told from a young age that the way you are inherently wired is worthy of social rejection, it can affect your self esteem. This pain can grow whenever someone hears another instance of a word that has been consistently or previously used to make them feel like they are not valuable.
Disappointingly, West Albany High School seems to have a growing problem with ableist language being used throughout the halls. It feels nearly impossible to go a day without overhearing a passing remark about autism or a slur being used by students.
Staff should take more action against the use of this language. This problem only continues to grow within our school as staff continue to neglect to take action against harmful language, allowing students to become comfortable using slurs without any fear of punishment. For example, Students using ableist language during class are only given a minor warning or, in most cases, completely ignored, further fostering this behavior.
What can students do to help prevent the spread of ableist language in the school district? Too many students just aren’t conscious of the extent of damage slurs or demeaning language can have on peers and try to flippantly justify using words they aren’t impacted by personally.
Students can help stop the use of ableist language by informing school staff of the issue, spreading awareness through hanging up informative posters against ableism on campus, politely reminding a friend or peer about inappropriate usage of slurs, or donating to an authentic organization/charity which helps those impacted by the unfortunate ways words can shape public respect of very large groups of people who we interact with every day. Remember that many resources are available to help fight ableist rhetoric, and there is always a solution if you speak out loud enough.
