I bet this post title really got to you or at least caused you to open the link. Hopefully, you are fuming. What is it that pisses you off the most about this title? That makes you cringe? Certainly not the "baby girl toddler" part. Maybe the "ugly"? How about "retarded"? BAM! R*tarded.
Today, I am not going to go on my soap box about the r-word. I have done so on many occasions on this blog and you can read those posts by clicking on the :stopdisablityslurs: label on the right column.
Instead, I am just going to lay it out like this: a google search will bring up the following picture if you type in "ugly retarded baby girl toddler".
Yes, that search brings up Ellie's picture. Is she a toddler? Yes. Is she ugly? Not in my opinion. Is she retarded? Yes, in the medical sense of the word, which has now respectfully been changed to intellectual disability.
Chances are, this blog was stumbled upon with that horrendous search term because I have discussed the r-word many times and because I call my Ellie a baby girl or a toddler. You throw those combination of words together and there you have The Chronicles of Ellie Bellie Bear on the google search results.
Why on earth someone was searching for a "r*tarded" baby girl toddler, I do not know. What I do know is that 1.5 years ago upon checking my blogger stats, I was hurt by those search terms. "Ugly R*tard Baby Girl Toddler". I cried. I cried for my little girl and all of the others out there who are viewed as "less than". Because, after all, people fling around the r-word as a means to say "less than". That is so retarded as in that is so lame. I am so retarded as in I am so stupid. As in something is better than what is termed r*tarded. R*tarded meant as an insult. Use to degrade. Whether you say it to my daughter or as a means to poke fun at yourself, I do not care. It still hurts.
I believe Special Olympics and Down syndrome advocate John Franklin Stephens got it right in the NY Times Article: A Word Gone Wrong "people can be thoughtless and cruel, or well-meaning, and never know the damage their words can do."
I hope whoever stumbles upon Ellie's face by searching the above is startled by what he/she sees. For when I look at my daughter, I see a beautiful little girl who is perfect.
Ellie Bear's Spread the Word To End the Word video
March 6, 2013 is the national campaign day to Spread the Word to End the Word. The word being the R-word. Take the pledge now.
Just Wow....How can anyone look at that little angel and call her ugly."Ugly" is people who hate what they do not understand!
ReplyDeleteSo true--people who had what they do not understand. Well said!
DeleteYour daughter is absolutely beautiful and perfect.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteGreat post! Watched the video with Arlynn. She started smiling and dancing when it came on, smiled real big at Ellie's valentine's, photo and laughed at the picture of her feeding herself and baking.I'd say she enjoyed the video. Ellie is beautiful. I love her eyes!
ReplyDeleteSo the video passed "the Arlynn test"? Excellent! Arlynn is my fiercest critic, you know :-) I would love to see Miss A dancing!
DeleteWow Anna! Ellie is absolutely beautiful, just so you know :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amber :)
DeleteEllie is absolutely gorgeous, shame on anyone for thinking differently.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ashley!
DeleteBeautiful post, Anna!!!!! The search terms that come up horrify me. Ellie is amazing and incredible!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jenny. Search terms can be horrifying although I had one today--"70s lamp with chain" that made me chuckle because I knew exactly what photograph was popping up with that one!
DeleteShe's so beautiful and her mama is clearly awesome as well. I can't imagine this happening to me but I'm sure it will. I have tears in my eyes that anyone could think such a thing but such a lovely girl.
ReplyDeleteOh Ginger, you are too kind!
DeleteWow! I cried when I read that post! What a beautiful picture of Ellie, and for that picture to come up when someone typed in such horrible, hurtful hateful words! Your video of Ellie was beautiful! Thank you for sharing! I only hope that her picture helped to change that person's mind. xoxox
ReplyDeleteAnna, thank you for your kinds words :-) Glad you watched and enjoyed the video! My dad watched it at my mother's urging and he jokingly said "You didn't get my permission to include my picture so I am going to sue you". What a turkey!
DeleteSome people are plain mean and so heartless.....forget them. Think about the people who aren't!! She's a little dollface!! Pray for mean people....they need it. My brother has a hearing problem and people made fun of him growing up, seriously? People have appologized through the years and that's great and dandy but I think it hurt my sister and I more. Believe me, we got them every chance we could. Sorry, I had to throw that part in. Stay the way you are!! They will have to answer to God one day. Kiss Ellie Boo for me!!
ReplyDeleteI stumbled on your blog by googling adenoid scab, as my Cameron recently had the procedure done and finally came out of the haze.. I love your posts and the pictures of your beautiful little girl. Thank you for sharing this blog and posts of your beautiful family!
ReplyDeleteApril, thank you for your kind words! I hope that Cameron is doing much better and is healing nicely! The recovery is rough, isn't it?!
DeleteBeauty is in the eye of the beholder but I think this little girl is just perfect like all little girls. Sadly there are some horrible people in the world that don't have an ounce of spirituality in them. Good luck for you all in the future, I love you all lots x
Delete