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With the Words Matter Act, Congress can remove hateful slurs from our legal code [1]

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Date: 2022-09-21

Speaking to Disability Scoop, Pocan relayed the reasoning for advancing the legislation:

“This bill just makes sense,” said Rep. Mark Pocan, the bill’s lead sponsor. “Federal law should reflect the time in which we live and not include harmful words or slurs. The Words Matter Act will modernize our laws, and remove offensive language from the U.S. Code. … I look forward to this bill’s immediate passage so we can retire this language once and for all.”

We as a culture do better when we work hard to lift all of us up and remove the barriers that harm those who need help. The ongoing use of offensive language within our legal code sets up a standard that says, you are less than, you are less worthy, and you are not valued.

The phrase “intellectual disability” has become more accepted not just because it is more accurate, but because it reflects the large group of people who are impacted by it in a way that doesn’t reduce them to a slur.

An intellectual disability does not render someone incapable of participation in our society. It does not reduce the value of a human being. It acknowledges that almost anyone can suffer some level of intellectual disability of varying impact, and it can be invisible or visible to those around them.

The bill would impact procedures that govern everything from school lunches and IEPs to mental health courts and facilities.

Thank you, Rep. Pocan, for seeing the needs of so many and finding a way to honor those needs.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/9/21/2124321/-With-the-Words-Matter-Act-Congress-can-remove-hateful-slurs-from-our-legal-code

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