Wheaton Wire

Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Daniel Carpenter ’09 A discussion was held in Hindle about the use of hurtful language.

Last week, students met in solidarity to raise disability awareness in everyday speech. As part of the Spread the Word to End the Word National Rally, Wheaton students gathered for a film screening of "When Billy Broke His Head." After the movie, Dean of Disability Services at Wheaton Denyse Wilhelm facilitated a discussion about disabilities awareness.

Speeches were given through the event in hopes that they would help people within the Wheaton Community become more aware of the implications their speech and actions have on people with disabilities. The speeches were also to help everyone bridge the gap between "us" and "them" to create an inclusive society.

"We want people to understand the stigmas that come along with having a disability and how these stigmas affect our society and those within it," Director of Best Buddies Liza Detenber '12, who is among the Wheaton students that have noted that too often disabilities are connoted with "disease," "bad," "depressing," and "hopeless."

The focus of the Spread the Word to End the Word rally was to bring awareness to the use of the word "Retard" and promote inclusion and acceptance to those with disabilities. "We do not want to shame anybody for their use," said Detenber, "because it slips out unconsciously; we just want people to understand the implications these derogatory terms have on others."

When they stopped by the event students were asked to sign the pledge stating: "I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities."

Later that night there was a movie showing of "When Billy Broke His Head." This breakthrough film blends humor with politics, and an individual experience with a chorus of voices, to explore what it is really like to live with a disability in America.

Often it is seen that America is "where pervasive discrimination and bureaucracy too often keep people with disabilities trapped in a labyrinth of government rules and legislated poverty," Detenber explained.

After the movie screening, Wilhelm, facilitated an open discussion with the viewers about any ideas this movie and the event. They held hopes that the movie portrayed the difficulties that people with disabilities face daily in addition to the many additional positive abilities that are often overlooked.

The rally was "very successful," said Detenber. 117 students signed pledges stating that they would become aware of their speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.

At the table there were some very interesting questions and comments about the r-word, as well as people's personal stories regarding disabilities or about secretly living with a learning disability and not receiving the aid they need because of the stigma attached.

There was also discussion of the many ways that Wheaton College has not sufficiently adapted its campus for people with emotional, learning, or physical disabilities.

"All we wanted to do was to get people thinking," said Detenber, "and reconsider the implications of their actions and speech. This is the first step to becoming a more aware campus and the students have reacted."

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