The R-word is a derogatory term that was used long ago primarily to insult people with intellectual disabilities. Though it was a trend in the ’90s, Elon Musk once again reminded people how insulting this has been to people.
The CEO of Tesla, who owns several companies, used this slur publicly not just once or twice but dozens of times the previous year. He targeted prominent personalities, including Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Yale historian Timothy Snyder, and actor Ben Stiller.
I’m tempted to call this guy a retard, but I won’t because I’ve used that word too many times
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 22, 2025
The Space X founder responding to Snyder’s criticism of the Trump administration on the X platform, where they tweeted to nearly 200 million followers in February, – “I’m tempted to call this guy a retard, but I won’t because I’ve used that word too many times.
However, Elon Musk is not the only person solely responsible for the re-emergence of this slur, as it didn’t completely fade away from several platforms like 4Chan or among so-called “edge lord” comedians—his visibility amplifies its spread. Recent research from Montclair State University found that using this R-word on X triples when the Billionaire uses it.
Reservoir @DOGE pic.twitter.com/lcfR6OJ8wu
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 20, 2025
Christy Weir from the Special Olympics said – “Unfortunately, the R-word is a word that is starting to come back into conversation because more people in positions of power — political leaders, business leaders, celebrities — are using it as part of their normal dialogue.”
The US President, Donald Trump, who has been a close ally of Elon Musk, has taken the same path and frequently used demeaning language. On the 2016 campaign trail, he was seen mocking a reporter’s disability. During his presidential campaign recently, he took things to the limit when he referred to Kamala Harris and former US President Joe Biden as “mentally disabled.”
This language used in politics is commonly called “politics of cruelty” by critics, and it reflects on the marginalization of disabled individuals.
“I feel liberated,” a Wall Street banker told the Financial Times, celebrating Trump’s election as a victory against so-called “wokeness.” “We can say ‘r—tard’ and ‘p—ssy’ without the fear of getting canceled.”
Common people are already facing these backlashes, and they have also become alarming for disability advocates like Nila Morton. As per Huff Post, Nila Morton, a graduate of Howard University, said, “They’ve tested the boundaries of what they can say and do, and many people who once hesitated to use offensive language now feel encouraged to push those limits as well.”
Efforts have been made to reduce the use of this R-word, which has been prominent from the fights of several disability rights groups, where campaigns have been there like “Spread the Word to End the Word.” It gained massive traction in several schools across the United States, leading to public awareness and cultural shifts. In 2010, President Obama signed Rosa’s Law, which officially replaced “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” in federal language.
