Rachel Wherley, Erin Elswood and Shelby Holloway On Mascots Matter And Calling For An End Of Discriminatory Disability Mascots

In this week’s episode I sat down with Rachel Wherley, Erin Elswood, and Shelby Holloway, the co-directors of the Mascots Matter campaign. Mascots Matter is an independent grassroots advocacy initiative calling for the retirement of offensive disability mascots. We discuss the origins of the “m” slur and its continued, harmful use through to present day, the founding of Mascots Matter and its advocacy efforts thus far, why discriminatory disability mascots are not just a local issue and much more.

For reference, this conversation was recorded on March 18, 2025. Also, the “m”-slur will be used in context when explaining it as a slur as well as referring to these mascots. It is important to note that neither myself nor my guests condone the use of this word nor is it a part of our vocabularies.

Follow And Support Mascots Matter:

Website: https://mascotsmatter.net Donate Here

Instagram: @mascotsmatter Facebook: Mascots Matter

Follow Rachel: Instagram: @thatlittlemom TikTok: @thatlittlemom

Follow Erin: Instagram: @erinkaseyhughes

Follow Shelby: Instagram: @shelbyhollowayy TikTok: @shelby_holloway

Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: alwayslookingup227@gmail.com

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This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin