Dani from Love on the Spectrum Criticizes Euphoria for Using the ‘R-Word’
Love on the Spectrum star Dani Bowman has strong criticisms for the Euphoria writers and wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson regarding their use of the “R-word,” which many see as a normalization of harmful language.
“We worked too hard for inclusion and acceptance to normalize the ‘R-word’ again,” Bowman, who has been featured in all four seasons of Netflix’s popular reality show, shared with TMZ in a Friday, May 15, interview. “As someone on the Autism spectrum, it’s honestly painful to see this language becoming socially acceptable in pop culture. That word has been historically used to bully, humiliate, and dehumanize neurodiverse individuals. Bringing it back as something ‘edgy’ or ‘funny’ isn’t progress—it’s a regression.”
Bowman, 31, added, “We’ve spent years educating people that these words hurt real human beings. Representation doesn’t matter if respect vanishes when it becomes trendy to mock disability again.”
Season 3 of Euphoria has faced criticism for its provocative content, including depictions of gang rape, nudity, and frequent use of the “R-word,” which has appeared in four of the first five episodes of the series’ final season.
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg regarding the real harm Euphoria overlooks by treating the R-word as casual slang,” Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States, an advocacy nonprofit for people with disabilities, expressed in an op-ed for Teen Vogue published on Wednesday, May 13.
“Some might argue this is just how people talk nowadays,” Neas continued in her essay. “That’s exactly where the issue lies. Pop culture plays a pivotal role in determining what becomes normal enough to repeat. When Euphoria incorporates the R-word into everyday dialogue week after week, it’s not only reflecting culture; it’s shaping it as well.”
Bowman also voiced her concerns about The Rock’s choice to use the word during Netflix’s Roast of Kevin Hart.
“I respect Dwayne Johnson and all he has achieved, but using the R-word as part of a joke or skit is disappointing,” she mentioned to TMZ during the same on-camera interview. “Words like that have significant consequences; they have historically been used to mock and undermine individuals with disabilities and those who are neurodiverse.”
The reality TV star emphasized, “We’ve made considerable strides in inclusion and awareness, so seeing that kind of language returned to mainstream entertainment feels regressive. Comedy can be entertaining without targeting a community that has fought valiantly for respect.”
