Abolishing the R-Word
The R-word is a form of hate speech that for too long was used in medicine to describe people with intellectual disabilities. Jamie Brewer wants to abolish the word globally.
In this episode we talk to Jamie Brewer, a successful actress and model who is an advocate for differently-abled people.
Jamie is known for her roles in the Emmy and Golden Globe winning TV series, American Horror Story. She also made her mark while leading the fight against the r-word, while serving on a Texas governmental affairs committee where she persuaded state senators to abolish the word in any official use, and replace it with “intellectual developmental disability”.
Brewer also happens to have Down syndrome herself, a developmental disability characterized by having an additional copy of the 21st chromosome. Jamie was the first person with Down syndrome to walk the runway at New York Fashion Week, opening the doors for other aspiring models who are differently-abled.
“A lot of my advocacy I use in my acting. I bring in that platform of advocacy constantly, by being me. By teaching others that individuals with disabilities have our own voices. We can do anything and everything”
This episode is hosted in partnership with The BodCon 2022, a live virtual conference on February 27th that's focused on body confidence and the movement towards radical self-acceptance, at which Jamie will be speaking about disability pride.
Topics covered:
Why representation of differently-abled people matters in Hollywood and beyond
Why words matter, and how she fought to remove the r-word in the Texas Senate
Why it's time to end subminimum wage for workers with disabilities
Myths people have about living with Down Syndrome
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