This letter is a response to the article, 5 Greatest Mentally Retarded Sports Ever, published by ParaVida Sport.
February 26, 2024
My name is Kadin McElwain, and I am an autistic college student, writer, and advocate for autism awareness. Throughout my life, I’ve been told that I’ll never amount to anything because I have autism, and people have bullied me because I have autism. Time and time again, I’ve proven people wrong with my accomplishments. I’m in college studying public relations and writing about sports for The Sports Column.
A common theme in my writing is doing the right thing and lifting people up. That’s why I’m extremely disappointed that you published an article entitled “5 greatest mentally retarded sports ever. In this article, you talk about five popular sports among those with several mental disabilities, such as polybag, race running, and calf.
I give you credit for gathering information and explaining the context of each sport. But you failed to realize that the R-word is a hurtful slur and has been discontinued as a medical term. You could’ve worded your article differently by calling the article “5 sports that are popular amongst those with disabilities.” Had you done that, I wouldn’t be writing this letter.
As someone with autism, I know how it feels to be mistreated, and I have been called the R-word before. That’s why I lift people up and condemn those who use the word. As an organization that believes that “every individual deserves the opportunity to learn, compete, and excel at the sports they like” and specializes in Paralympic sports equipment, you should know that it is your responsibility not to use hurtful terms and to treat people in the special needs community with respect, no matter the level of severity in their disability.
It goes beyond sports because it’s a matter of doing the right thing.
There is a way to fix your mistake. Apologize to the disabled community by posting and sharing a statement on social media platforms and your website.
I’ll leave you with a quote by Fredrich Nietzsche, an autistic philosopher: “Truth can surely stand on one leg. But with two, it’ll be able to walk and get around.” That is why issuing an apology is essential: it’s that second leg.
Sincerely,
Kadin R. McElwain
