You're out in public, minding your own business, and then a random stranger comes up to you and says those words: “Hey buddy.” You feel your entire body cringe as your pride is hurt. Why? That stranger just used the dreaded B-word.
The Council for Disability Social Interaction issued a report recently stating that use of the B-word when addressing disabled people has skyrocketed in the past year. According to councilmember Miriam Webster, this isn't surprising. “Not to sound like I'm out of touch, but people don't know how to properly interact anymore. It's very othering to have someone use that term when we've never met and I have no way of knowing your intentions.”
Jack Lorimar, an adult with Down syndrome, recalls one particular moment when he was called that. “I was at the doctor's office getting registered, and the lady who was helping me used her ‘special voice' — you know the one. She used that word and I got very upset inside. Problem is, nobody likes to see us angry. I can't cause a scene like in ‘The Elephant Man' and scream ‘I am not an animal! I am a human being!' — as much as I would like to. But it's the truth! I'm not your dog.”
As part of a new awareness campaign, a series of public service announcements will feature disabled celebrities asking the public not to use the word, with the hashtag #MyNameIsNotBuddy. The Council for Disability Social Interaction will speak at the United Nations in a few months to call attention to the problem.