The worrisome return of the R-Word

The slur disappeared but is once again popular to use on and offline. What's up with that? Over the past few years, the R-word - a term for disabled people that otherwise left the cultural lexicon - has been popping up more and more. It is the rare slur that goes out of vogue and makes a resurgence, particularly among young men. It's return may also have larger implications that affect policy, culture, and how we treat each other. Disability advocate Imani Barbarin joins the show to break down how ableism can take root in casual conversation, and why words matter. Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus. Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluse For handpicked podcast recommendations every week,

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The worrisome return of the R-Word is an episode from It's Been a Minute by NPR.

This episode is 13:08 long.

This episode was published on Apr 29, 2026.

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