Actress Jennifer Aniston is the latest in a string of public figures to take heat for using the word “retard.”
While appearing on Live with Regis and Kelly on Thursday, Aniston was asked about a photo shoot appearing in the September issue of Harper’s Bazaar where the actress poses in styles reminiscent of iconic Barbra Streisand images.
Host Regis Philbin said, “you’re playing dress up.” Aniston replied, “Yes, I play dress up. I do it for a living, like a retard.”
The comments drew sharp rebuke from advocates for those with intellectual disabilities who have long fought to end use of the term.
“The pervasive use of the r-word, even in an off the cuff self-deprecating manner, dehumanizes people with intellectual disabilities and perpetuates painful stereotypes that are a great source of suffering and negative stigma,” Special Olympics officials said in a statement. The organization sponsors the ongoing campaign “Spread the Word to End the Word.”
Other groups speaking out against Aniston’s choice of language include The Arc of the United States and the National Down Syndrome Society.
Earlier this year, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel apologized after using the term. Sarah Silverman, Rush Limbaugh and others have also come under fire for their choice of words in recent times.
A representative for Aniston did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.
Jennifer Aniston used the R-word, Regis just sat there and said nothing. We should be just as outraged at the non-action!
I’m glad to see people are calling her out and that other people are NOTICING that she’s being called out. Using the R-word is so so offensive, and those of use that can (sometimes) pass for not having a developmental disability (which may or may not include an intellectual one) are cowed into continuing to hide our disabled status. Because of the constant fear of being declared “r” and all the stigma that contains, some of us don’t ask for the accommodation we need. and some people even decide that it is too scary to try to go out when they can’t pass.
I think of it as a symptom of a societal problem, just as casual racism or sexism is. We call out those who are public figures on racism and sexism. I think part of why we do that so vocally is because it makes more people aware when we call out public figures- that we address the issue with someone lots of people are paying attention so that one action is demonstrated to a larger audience.
This doesn’t mean that the casual user is a bad person. We can still like a person or their work, even when we have to call them out on whatever fail.
There’s no reason to not do the same with Ableist comments. Yes, Albeism is a lot more pervasive in how we think, especially when it comes to developmental or cognitive disabilities and the more intellectual communities. But that just means we have farther to go.
It was a lot more radical to call someone out on sexism in the past than it is now. Hopefully it’ll be more radical now to call out Ableism than it will be in the future.
DIS PRIDE!
Jennifer Aniston is just another example of rich, uneducated, uninformed ignorance parading as something special. Perhaps if she would spend more time reading and volunteering in the community instead of getting her hair done and putting on her makeup it would not only get her some more dates (important on her list of to-dos I am guessing) but it would also make her aware of the real world and not just her fantasy Hollywood nonsense.
Besides the use of the R-word being offensive, I cannot figure out what Ms. Aniston was even trying to say in her comment. As a person who works with people who have various disabilities, as well as those who do not have a disability, I don’t know anyone who “plays dress up for a living” for her even to compare herself to. As for Regis’ silence, I can only hope that it was because he was afraid to speak up as he was not prepared to start a debate. It would have been great, though, had he spoken and addressed the issue right there. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who don’t see any problem with the word as they use it as a synonym for stupid and claim that they are not putting down a particular person. This is similar to when I hear students use “gay” as a synonym for stupid.
jheinzmann and yousaidwhat, I agree with you. Thank you.
I find it hypocritical that you all selectively criticize certain stars or movies/programs for using the “R” word but let others slide. Chelsea Handler uses the “R” word almost every night on her television show. One show in which she used the word was repeated several times in the period of one week. I have not read one criticism of her for her chronic use of the word. Comedy Central ofter runs several movies in a row where the “R” word is used. Either be consistent or stop singling out particular individuals or movies/programs.