Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden has denounced the use of a pejorative that refers to developmentally and intellectually challenged individuals.
Joe Haden, NFL’s first Special Olympics ambassador, denounces use of ‘R-word’
“The R-word is hurtful, hateful and ignorant,” Haden said. “Like the N-word, it should not be part of our language.”
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
“Open up your vocabulary, people,” Haden said Wednesday in an interview with ESPN. “The R-word is hurtful, hateful and ignorant. Like the N-word, it should not be part of our language.”
Haden, whose younger brother, 22-year-old Jacob, has developmental disabilities that impair his speech, is the first NFL player to serve as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador.
Although the term is widely considered a slur, it remains pervasive in professional sports. On two occasions, most recently in January 2014, LeBron James referred to questions from reporters as “retarded.” James later apologized, referring to the word as “a bad habit.”
Haden has previously worked with Spread The Word To End The Word, which in March held its seventh annual day of awareness to end use of the slur.
The Special Olympics Opening Ceremony will take place Saturday in Los Angeles.
Watch Haden and his brother discuss their relationship in a 2014 interview here.
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