Words that hurt: when a leader’s words deepen the struggle of millions
# **"Stupid" and "Low IQ": How One Tweet Reopened Old Wounds for Dyslexic Americans**
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**June 2024** — Lauryn Muller never expected a passing scroll on her phone to feel like a personal attack.
It started with a single tweet.
Donald Trump had just called California’s governor “stupid” and “low IQ”—mocking not just a political opponent, but the governor’s lifelong dyslexia. To Lauryn, who had spent years learning to navigate a world that often conflates dyslexia with weakness, the words weren’t just partisan barbs. They were a gut-punch to anyone who’d ever sat in a classroom struggling to decode letters while teachers whispered, *“Maybe they’re not trying hard enough.”*
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## **The Silent Epidemic: Dyslexia in a World That Doesn’t Listen**
Dyslexia isn’t rare—it affects nearly **one in five people worldwide**. And yet, for generations, society has treated it as a flaw rather than a difference.
Medical research confirms what dyslexic individuals have always known: their brains don’t process written language the same way. But when leaders like Trump weaponize dyslexia as an insult, the damage isn’t just rhetorical—it’s **institutional**.
Governor Gavin Newsom, who has spoken openly about his dyslexia as both a struggle and a catalyst for resilience, represents a growing movement of high-profile dyslexic leaders. From Richard Branson to Whoopi Goldberg, from scientists to CEOs, dyslexia has been a **door-opener**, not a barrier.
Trump, ironically, has **previously praised dyslexic strengths** in public proclamations. So why the sudden shift?
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## **The Hypocrisy of Power: Words That Echo Loudest**
Marilyn Muller, a three-time Trump voter and mother of a dyslexic child, admits she felt **“a pang of shame”** when she read the remarks.
> *“I voted for him because I thought he stood for strength. But when he calls someone ‘stupid’ because of how their brain works? That doesn’t feel like strength. It feels like fear.”*
Then there’s **Lia Beatty**, a neuroscientist who runs her own lab despite dyslexia. For years, she stayed silent—but Trump’s words pushed her to speak up.
> *“Dyslexia doesn’t make you less. It makes you **different**. And different doesn’t mean weaker—it means you see the world in ways others can’t.”*
Even Gary Cohn, Trump’s former economic advisor and a dyslexic who helped craft the 2017 tax law, rose from Goldman Sachs to the White House. Yet, when the president dismisses dyslexia as a punchline, the message is clear: some differences are acceptable… until they’re not.
The Quiet Harm: When Leaders Don’t Just Break Chains—They Reinforce Them
The impact of Trump’s words isn’t just about hurt feelings. It’s about systemic doubt.
- In classrooms, a student who once dared to raise their hand now stays silent, fearing another “Maybe you just need to try harder.”
- In workplaces, an employee passes up a promotion, convinced they’re not “leadership material” because their brain works differently.
- In homes, parents like Meagan Swingle in Georgia worry about the messages seeping into schools where kids like her 15-year-old son, Enrique, already feel isolated.
“Enrique hasn’t grown up with the same expectations of respect. He shrugs these things off now. But what happens when he’s 25 and hears the same insults from a boss—or a president?”
The Political Divide: Where Did the Bipartisan Awareness Go?
Once, Capitol Hill stood united on dyslexia. Advocacy groups from both sides of the aisle pushed for better education policies. But after Trump’s remarks?
Crickets.
A senator whose family runs a school for dyslexic children dodged direct answers when pressed. Instead, they pivoted to talent over truth—as if the two were mutually exclusive.
Meanwhile, advocates warn that eroding protections for neurodivergent students sends a dangerous signal. If the leader of the free world can mock learning differences with impunity, what does that say about the future of inclusion?
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The Uncomfortable Truth: Who Really Benefits From These Words?
The real question isn’t whether Trump’s words were harmful.
It’s whether any leader should have the power to define what others can’t achieve.
Dyslexia isn’t a limitation—it’s a different operating system. And if the highest office in the land can’t recognize that, then it’s time to ask:
Who profits when society confuses struggle with weakness? Who gains when labels replace potential?
For Lauryn Muller, the answer is simple.
“My brain isn’t the problem. The problem is the world that still thinks it is.”
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