Disabilities Beat: Are Trump, Other Elected Officials, Alienating Voters by Using the ‘R-Word’?

Last week, many disabled Americans were shocked, but not surprised, as they told BTPM and described on social media, that President Donald Trump used the word “retarded” in a social media post attacking Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

The thing is, the “r-word,” despite being removed from federal laws in 2010, continues to be used by many elected officials, not just Trump. In recent years, U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, and U.S. Representative Tony Gonzalez, among others, have been called out for using the word.

The “r-word” was once used as a medical term to describe many people with disabilities, to then institutionalize, sterilize and segregate them within the United States.

One in six eligible voters were estimated to have a disability in 2024, according to the Rutgers Program for Disability Research. That’s 40.2 million voters. Not to mention everyone who knows them.

So, is the use of this slur alienating or turning off disabled voters and their loved ones from those politicians? That’s what we explore in this week’s episode of the Disabilities Beat.

TRANSCRIPT

This is a rush transcript provided by a contractor and may be updated over time to be more accurate.

Emyle Watkins: Hi, I’m Emyle Watkins, and this is the Disabilities Beat.

Just a warning to listeners, this segment mentions and discusses the use of an inappropriate slur by elected officials.

Beth Kuerzdoerfer talks about her adult daughters, Katie and Gracie, both with pride and joy. She speaks especially of Gracie’s resilience after being born with multiple disabilities 27 years ago.

Beth Kuerzdoerfer: Gracie has changed my life in every imaginable way, as any of your children do.

Emyle Watkins: And a lot has changed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, like Gracie in her lifetime. Services, supports, and many laws have changed and improved. Still though, ableism persists, including in our language and culture. Last week, many disabled Americans were shocked but not surprised, as they told BTPM and described on social media that the president used the word retarded in a social media post, attacking Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. That includes Beth.

Beth Kuerzdoerfer: I was just horrified and angry. Angry that someone, anyone uses the word, but our president of this country is saying that. And then he actually comes back a few days later when he’s asked if he stands by that comment and he says, “Absolutely.” What kind of a person does this anyway, but a leader of our country? It’s horrifying. It’s horrifying.

Emyle Watkins: And President Donald Trump did in fact double down on his use of the word when asked by a reporter over the weekend.

Reporter: Do you stand by that claim of calling Tim Walz retarded?

President Trump: Yeah, I think there’s something wrong with him. Absolutely. Sure. Do you have a problem with it? You know what? I think there’s something wrong with him.

Emyle Watkins: The thing is the R word, despite being removed from federal laws in 2010, continues to be used by many elected officials and not just Trump.

In recent years, US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, US Senator Chuck Schumer, and US Representative Tony Gonzalez, among others, have been called out for using the word.

The R-word was once used as a medical term to describe many people with disabilities, and then to institutionalize, sterilize, and segregate them within the United States.

New York State’s Commissioner for the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, Willow Baer, was one government official who openly reacted to Trump’s use of the word.

Willow Baer: The R-word is a slur because it attempts to take an entire minority of people and combine them into one sort of negative connotation about what they’re unable to do or what they struggle to do. That’s why it’s a slur.

Emyle Watkins: Now, some might wonder, what’s the real impact beyond a word being offensive? When speaking with disabled people and their loved ones, there are real concerns that come to mind when elected officials use slurs. For Dr. Sherri Eldin, a doctor with disabilities in New York City, part of it comes down to safety.

Dr. Sherri Eldin: I think it’s a basic human right to want to feel safe in your daily life. And part of that is how your government is operating. And if the person at the head of your government is using terms that hold this kind of historically charged meaning of, “Oh, I’m not safe,” then how safe can we actually feel?

Emyle Watkins: And statistically speaking, according to the Rutgers Program for Disability Research, one in six eligible voters in 2024 were estimated to have a disability. That’s 40.2 million voters. Not to mention everyone who knows them. For voters like Dr. Eldin and Beth, they say it impacts their perception of elected officials when they use the word.

Dr. Sherri Eldin: As a politician, everybody’s listening. So, if you’re going to make a comment about something, you better be educated on it. You better know what is coming out of your mouth, the implications of it, the indications of it, the history of it. That’s just part of your job. Just like I would not walk into a room with a patient and say… I don’t know, start talking about a disease that I don’t know about or a medication that I don’t know about. I’m going to be prepared and educated before I bring that up in conversation so that I’m well-informed. It’s just part of the job description.

Beth Kuerzdoerfer: You’re representing these people as well with funding, with programming, the support, education. As a voter, this greatly affects the way I’m thinking.

Emyle Watkins: And as Dr. Eldin points out, people with disabilities should not be underestimated.

Dr. Sherri Eldin: Am I going to let this person who didn’t do their due diligence, is still insisting on being disrespectful or ignorant, am I going to let that hold me back? No. If anything, that’s actually going to light my fire more to be like, “Ooh, I have to work harder as a disabilities advocate.”

Emyle Watkins: You can listen to the Disabilities Beat segment on demand, view a transcript, and plain language description for every episode on our website at btpm.org. I’m Emyle Watkins. Thanks for listening.

Image: Dr. Sherri Eldin (left photo) and Beth Kuerzdoerfer and her daughter Gracie (right photo)