The next time someone uses the R-word in front of you, quote NFL star Joe Haden. He nailed it.
"Open up your vocabulary, people."
Growing up, NFL star Joe Haden took one request from his parents to heart: "Protect your brother, Jacob."
It was a commitment that came to light back in 1998, when he was just 9 years old. Jacob, who was only 4 at that time, nearly drowned in a swimming pool.
Luckily, Joe was there to save him.
"Honestly, I didn't think for one second that he was gone," Joe told ESPN, which recently profiled the 26-year-old athlete. "I just wouldn't let myself even get to the thought."
GIF via ESPN.
Joe has always been a protective older brother to Jacob, who has a cognitive disorder.
In fact, they're each others' "#1." Jacob, whose disorder impairs his speech, gave Joe the nickname because Joe was born first. But Joe considers Jacob his #1 because he's a source of inspiration — on and off the field.
"Life wouldn't be the same without him," Joe told ESPN. He plays cornerback for the Cleveland Browns.
"That's kind of why, when I play, I play so hard, and I play with so much passion, emotion. Because I love the game and know my man, Jake — he can't do it. ... I'm playing for the both of us."
Inspired by his brother, this year Joe became the first NFL player to be named a Special Olympics global ambassador.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images.
The recognition has allowed Joe to bring visibility to people with disabilities during the 2015 Special Olympics, taking place July 25 through Aug. 2, 2015, in Los Angeles.
"Growing up, my brother had the opportunity to participate in the Special Olympics movement and through my involvement, I learned first-hand the tremendous value of playing sports with, and learning from, people with intellectual disabilities," Joe said in a statement.
The role has given him the opportunity to speak out on one word in particular that hits close to home.
Joe hasn't beaten around the bush when it comes to his thoughts on the R-word.
The word "retarded," which originated as a clinical description for a person with an intellectual or developmental disability, has devolved into slang often used to demean someone's intellect. Clearly, there's no reason to use the outdated term today.
That's no news to Joe. He made his take on the word very clear when he chatted with ESPN in July 2015:
(In case you're still wondering if there are certain situations in which the R-word is appropriate to use, this handy flow chart should help you out.)
Joe's message is part of a growing movement to end the R-word.
An online initiative launched in 2009, Spread the Word to End the Word, has garnered more than 570,000 signatures in support of eliminating "the derogatory use of the R-word from everyday speech." You can pledge your support here.
Thanks to groups like Spread the Word to End the Word and people like Joe, hearts and minds are changing.
A little bit of brotherly love can spark a lot of good.
GIF via ESPN.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."