what is the politically correct term for disabled?

is not a good idea, either. More Appropriate: acknowledge the persons abilities and individuality, Less Appropriate: isnt it wonderful how he has overcome his/her disability?. Dunn, D. S., & Andrews, E. (2015). A disability is any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or effectively interact with the world around them (socially or materially). Comment: Terms are outdated and stigmatizing. Person-first and identity-first language: Developing psychologists' cultural competence using disability language. I was about as wounded as a soul can get when I met him, and he taught me how to hold hands, Summer Blog Hop Series: CHALLENGE! Your email address will not be published. Emphasizes the heart string or telethon-ish perspective. Were not doing disabled people a favor by giving them a ramp. The keyword here is 'people.'. Comment: Terms are demeaning. We are all at different points on our journey and learning and language and vernacular are constantly changing. Are you friggin kidding me? Disability and disabled can be used interchangeably but it's important to remember to use people-first language, which is explained later in this blog. A politically correct word or expression is used instead of another one to avoid being offensive: Some people think that "fireman" is a sexist term, and prefer the politically correct term "firefighter." Disability Terminology: Etiquette, Culture, and Choosing the Right Words 4 years ago, I wrote a post calledThe Choice to Suffer. 3. potatomoonlight 6 yr. ago. We do know that at some point, some people decided that terms like "deaf" or "blind" were derogatory, negative, and should not be used. Instead, Im taking cues from advocates who are disabled themselves. Its a word used with pride. How he will access them is different. When referring to disability, the American Psychological Association (APA) urges that it is often best to "put the person first." Is saying "the disabled" or "disabled people" acceptable, for example? Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Stutterer, tongue-tied ; Person with a speech impairment, who has a speech . Some groups consider the term people of color as an unnecessary and binary option (people of color vs. White people), and some people do not identify with the term people of color. If you describe one group, use the same type of description for all groups being compared. I can tell you that in my childhood and young adulthood I spent a LOT of time and energy being utterly disturbed by what I personally saw and heard, in terms of other peoples response to, understanding of, and interaction with my uncle Christian and other people who may be a little different from average. Used as a put-down in most cases. In it, I was talking about how caring for an elderly man in the advanced stages of Alzheimers helped me to heal. Deaf? Disabled? What To Call Those With Hearing Loss - AARP As a nephew of a Downs uncle (whom I am proudly named after), and an enthusiastic supporter of the community, long-time S.O. 7 Appropriate Things To Say Instead Of "Crippled" - Grammarhow Im allowed to call myself a spaz. Other disabilities are not necessarily apparent, for example, acquired brain injury or chronic depression. Disabled is a describing word and should not be used to categorize a group of individuals. Be aware that not every family is the same, and that some children are not being raised by their biological parents. . However, different people prefer different terminology. The following provides some preferred terms for select population groups; these terms attempt to represent an ongoing shift toward non-stigmatizing language. Also take the time to learn what specific disability groups and cultures choose for themselves. Embracing the word disabled, fighting the urge and the conditioning that demands we distance ourselves from it, is a powerful illustration of self-determination in action. By that I mean they assume that most of the applicants will have access to the curriculum (even if its lousy) and can participate in whatever afterschool programs are offered (even if theres a limited list). In itself, its not a negative or a positive necessarily in terms of describing the person or experience, but something which combines with everything else to make you, YOU. Incapacitated. Evolution and Inclusive Language: Creating a New Term for Visual Comment: Terms reflect negative and tragedy and connote pitiful helplessness, dependency, defeat. ), More Appropriate: people with disabilities, deaf people, blind people, persons with a developmental disability, Less Appropriate: Sue is an arthritic, diabetic, paraplegic. But after 8 years of blogging, it will take me forever to find every instance where it says special needs and replace it. They are somebody's son, somebody's daughter. It epitomizes how far the disability community has come. Jamie Davis Smith also echoes my sentiments, which apply to this issue and the People First Language issue. Some terms, like special needs, are popular in certain circles, for certain purposes, but almost entirely irrelevant to actual disabled people who are old enough to have developed their own understanding of their disabilities. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. A few highlights of the document: Put the person first. A second meaning of this adjective is inferior. (Often disabled individuals will use these terms in reference to each other but for others to use them, it might be similar to a white person using the term the N word. volunteer, etc I have a keen interest in this topic, and a lifetime of experience. Organizations that value differences reflect it in their communication. The social psychology of disability. The reasoning goes like this: Phrases like "disabled person" or "amputee" focus on a condition more than the person who is affected by it. You can review and change the way we collect information below. However, conscious thought about what we say, and when we say it . Its evolving. 7 Alternatives to Calling Someone a "Senior Citizen" Time to Retire the Word 'Homeless' and Opt for 'Houseless' or 'Unhoused I was at an event yesterday, and some stewards were helping me up a hill. I sometimes wonder is there some genetic marker theyll find one day that shows a link between Downs Syndrome and traits for kindness, good-humor, a sweet (if occasionally ornery) disposition, and a loving nature? Michelle Swan. If youre reading this, got this far and are still saying to yourself, Words, schmords, it sounds nicer so who cares? Heres one for you. And yet they have always carried the assumed prejudices of those times towards the people those terms represented. A PC term for mental retardation is "intellectual disability". These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. That makes it tricky, you know, for allies to the disabled/Down syndrome parent community. In practice, this means that instead of referring to a "disabled person," use "person with a disability." And others need to recognize the limits of their power to regulate this practice. List of disability-related terms with negative connotations Over the years, with a lot of self maturity I learned to share my disability so that others would not just deem me rude when I didnt respond to them. Is disability a politically correct term? - TimesMojo The contentious debate never seems to end over what are the right and wrong words and phrases to use to discuss anything to do with disabilities and disabled people. All the Other Words Make Us Gag. . The Top 20 Questions on "Politically Correct" Terms [with Answers or man with a disability. The backlash began in the United States in the early 1990s when conservative intellectuals began to use "political correctness" to criticize the left for imposing their views on . A disability is a condition or quality linked to a particular person. Little People/Dwarfism - RespectAbility Within its "Publication Manual," the APA also urges writers as well as speakers to avoid using any language that refers to disability in a deleterious or pejorative manner. Being disabled is not something to be ashamed of, and its not something to be scared of; its just a fact of life. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. What Is Political Correctness? Definition, Pros, and Cons - ThoughtCo It should be noted however, that the same terminology does not necessarily apply in other countries. So, what do you do? They're not strangers. Inaccurate reference; a person is NOT a condition. A disability is present when activities usually performed by people (such as walking, talking, reading or learning) are in some way restricted. The commenter was concerned that blanket use of the new term by various entities . Questions like these are important, particularly because disability represents a form of diversity, similar to one's gender, race, ethnicity, social class, religion and so on. 3 Reasons to Say "Disability" Instead of "Special Needs" Language in communication products should reflect and speak to the needs of people in the audience of focus. What is a "politically correct" term you are sick of hearing? Disabled people who choose identity-first language claim and celebrate, rather than distance themselves, from their disabilities. Confusion in the use and understanding of these terms can impact the lives and safety of refugees and asylum-seekers. Let's begin by defining some terms. Before I became disabled myself, I worked in a field that served people with a variety of disabilities. People/communities of color is a frequently used term, but should only be used if included groups are defined upon first use; be mindful to refer to a specific racial/ethnic group(s) instead of this collective term when the experience is different across groups. They tend to describe everyone and therefore no one.) Is that person over there going to jump on me? "They are retarded" becomes "They are people with developmental disabilities.". Not all members of the disability community think person-first language is the best choice. Hurt. Latino (individual man, group of men, or group of people including men and women), Latina (individual woman or group of women), People who live in rural/sparsely populated areas, Using MSM (men who have sex with men) as shorthand for sexual orientation to describe men who self-identify as gay or bisexual, individually or collectively, Sexual preference, which is used to suggest someones sexual identity is a choice and therefore could be changed by choice, Lesbian, gay, or bisexual (when referring to self-identified sexual orientation). First I want to quote another parent like me, who did a similar post almost a year ago. Which means, it should no longer be socially acceptable (was it ever . "Handi-capable", "People of all abilities", "Different abilities", "Differently abled" can be lumped together with "special needs.". In everyday life, some people use the term handicapor refer to people with disabilities as the handicapped. Crippled, Disabled, HandicappedWhich Word Should I Use? The terms used for people with disabilities all too frequently perpetuate stereotypes and false ideas. We are carefully taught by one wave of credible activists and diversity consultants to say people with disabilities, only to be told by a later generation of disabled people that this diminishes the experience and meaning of disability, and is in any case awkward and a little condescending. But they are so obviously an effort to be kind, or nice, or positive and cheerleading that the effect on actual disabled people can be sentimental and condescending. Some groups within the disability community, which is arguably the largest minority group in the U.S., have already established their language preferences. "Person with a Disability" is a more inclusive, less biased term to describe someone who is disabled . Politically Correct Language of Disability | Disabled World In the world of disability, this most notably applies to cripple and crip, which disability activists and participants in disability culture still use to refer to themselves, either ironically or defiantly. Use disabled people not the disabled as the collective term. Search the term politically correct, and youll find it defined as the belief that language and actions that could be offensive to others, especially those relating to sex and race, should be avoided. More Appropriate: wheelchair user, uses a wheelchair, wheelchair using, Less Appropriate: Anita is crippled, a cripple; That guys a crip, Comment: Cripple is an epithet generally offensive to people with physical disabilities (from Old English to creep). However, she actually is not handicapped herself; rather, the handicapping element is in the environment, not within her. Denies other aspects of the person. Damaged. Stay tuned. I will still make mistakes. Disability is a particular way of seeing, hearing, feeling, thinking, moving, learning, sensing, being. A close reading of disabled can always be made to appear negative. Using phrases like "person with a disability" and "individual with an amputation" emphasizes the person and not his or her condition. More Appropriate: Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, speech impaired, Less Appropriate: lame, paralytic, gimp, gimpy,withered hand. Appropriate Language About People With Disabilities 2. Disabled people have the right to do everything we do. Disability and disabled work elegantly simply to describe the shared social identity of all people who have any kind of disability. The other strives to be more sober, but also elegant and comfortable when spoken and written. Now, its just a term that you should be staying way the hell away from (see. The term stakeholder is used across many disciplines to reflect different levels of input or investment in projects or activities. (2010). When disability struck me, I lost a great deal and went through years of suffering. When will people realize how precious our Downs community is, and how much they have to teach the rest of us about loving kindness. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. She received the 2013 APA Div. Lawrence Carter-Long, who founded the movement called Disabled, Say the Word, says, "The language we use mirrors the ways we think," he says. Roll with their example. Guidelines for Writing and Referring to People with Disabilities Language in communication products should reflect and speak to the needs of people in the audience of focus. Dunn is the author or editor of 29 books and over 150 journal articles, chapters and book reviews. Deaf-Mute, Deaf and Dumb, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Impaired, Disabled It is a means through which many of us live our lives, a platform of existence. What is the politically correct way to say special needs? Person with a disability is now referred to as a disabled person. One interesting thing to note is that nearly all of these insulting, offensive terms were once commonly accepted, even clinical descriptions for various disabilities. Totally agree. At the end of that post, I said this:Up next: Ill be tackling special needs. Because that vernacular is seeing a shift too. Nothing is ever 100%. use a normal tone of voice, don't patronise or talk down; don't be too precious or too politically correct - being super-sensitive to the right and wrong language . Comment: People with disabilities are not collectively inspirational or courageous. Even as I describe people as being visually impaired, I have already stepped into word doo-doo. It is okay to use words or phrases such as "disabled," "disability," or "people with disabilities" when talking about disability issues. The correct term is just "Europeans". They're just in trouble, but there's a way to help them.". Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Several months ago, I did a blog post about People First Language, and why it shouldnt be mandated. Instead, use: "Person living with schizophrenia"; "Person experiencing psychosis, disorientation or hallucination". What is another word for mentally challenged? Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. Lawrence Carter-Long, who founded the movement called Disabled, Say the Word, says, The language we use mirrors the ways we think, he says. Dont call us special needs. Our needs are not special, they are human. More Appropriate: walks with a cane, uses crutches, has a disabled/handicapped hand, Less Appropriate: crazy, insane, psycho, nut, maniac, former mental patient. She raises tremendous amounts of money for families wanting to adopt children with Down syndrome from Eastern Europe (thus, Read More Sibling Series: Patti Guest Posts in an Interview with her kidsContinue, Im really glad you like it! The following provides some preferred terms for select population groups; these terms attempt to represent an ongoing shift toward non-stigmatizing language. More Appropriate: mental disability, behavior disorder, emotional disability, mentally restored, Less Appropriate: retard, a person with mental retardation, slow, simple-minded, idiot, Mongoloid. This difference may be because of race, gender, beliefs, religion, sexual orientation, or because they have a mental or physical disability, or any difference from what most people believe is normal. Doing so hinders understanding and can even trivialize other, more important qualities possessed by the individual. Ask the people you are with which term they prefer if they have a disability. The term "intellectual disability" is gradually replacing the term "mental retardation" nationwide. This style guide, which covers dozens of words and terms commonly used when referring to disability, can help. Use of the following terms and phrases is correct at the time of writing: What does it mean? People who use wheelchairs go for walks and people with visual impairments may be very pleased or not to see you. 3. More Appropriate: Bob has polio, has a spinal cord injury, has AIDS, Less Appropriate: confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound, wheel-chaired. Please contact us with any questions or comments at HEGuidingPrinciples@cdc.gov. (The debate over the use of handicap versus disabled has not been settled. Persons taking/prescribed medication assisted treatment (MAT), Persons who use drugs/people who inject drugs, Persons in recovery from substance use/alcohol disorder, Persons taking/prescribed medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), Underserved people/communities/the underserved, People who are underserved by [specific service/resource], People who are underserved by mental health/behavioral health resources, People who are uninsured/people who are underinsured/people who do not have health insurance, Persons experiencing unstable housing/housing insecurity/persons who are not securely housed, People experiencing unsheltered homelessness, Clients/guests who are accessing homeless services, People/households with incomes below the federal poverty level, People with self-reported income in the lowest income bracket (if income brackets are defined), People experiencing poverty (do not use underserved when meaning low SES). We choose the words we want to use for ourselves, not others! Is there a way for anyone to navigate disability language clearly, safely, and respectfully? And looking back, person first language seems to have been promoted mostly by non-disabled people for our benefit, not by us. This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-communication/inclusive-language-words-to-use-and-avoid-when-writing-about-disability. I think the important thing though is NOT whether either is "politically correct" but what is helpful or hurtful! For example, consider: People with obsessive-compulsive disorder. 3. Bear in mind, of course, that some challenges remain. It also groups all parties into one term, despite potential differences in the way they are engaged or interact with a project or activity. You are not a person with deafness, you are a deaf person but my daughterMoxie is not a Down syndrome child; shes a person with Down syndrome.. Saying disabled is fine; person with a disability is fine too, but see how the person wants to be referred to as. Now that we know the distinction between disability and handicap, how do we refer people who have disabilities? Whenever possible, describe specific groups and/or individuals with interest in an activity using relevant names, categories, or descriptions of the nature of their influence or involvement (for example, advisors, consultants, co-owners). If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. What Is the Difference Between Special Education - Synonym They dont shift and change just to mess up nervous non-disabled people. I am sure that if you combed through every single blog post, youll find phrases that are ableist. I mean, first of all, good God anyone who knows any Downs person knows what a blessing these people are to the lives of everyone who knows them. Terms like "differently abled" do more harm than good. As with other marginalized groups, we should know by now that refusing to acknowledge or talk about disability as a real experience doesnt make life better for disabled people. Moron, idiot, cretin, mongo all fall under that as well as retard. I wasn't able to work anymore. This is a space for talking about - or "unpacking" disability - trying to better understand this huge word that is also a culture, an experience, a movement. Why are we avoiding using the word disabled? What is the politically correct term for the disabled? Identity First using person with a disability or disabled person. Its a debate largely within the disability community that is about evenly divided and in transition. The handicapped are no longer covered by this term. I myself have been one of those that have been upset. Otherwise, identify persons or groups by their specific tribal affiliation. Change in Terminology: "Mental Retardation" to "Intellectual Disability" The definition of politically correct language (abbreviated to PC) is choosing and using words that focus on empathy, fairness and justice. The Backlash. Such undue praise can marginalize, isolate, or unduly glorify what is a medical fact or quality that is but one part of the individual's experience. So while moron and idiot in the 19th and early 20th centuries were clinical terms for different levels of intellectual disability, the horrifically disdainful and disgusted opinions about intellectually disabled people helped make those words insulting, at the time and especially today. Well send you a link to a feedback form. Indian Country is generally used in context and is rarely used as a stand-alone it typically is used in writing only after American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) has already been used, and the writer wants to avoid continuing to repeat AI/AN or tribes and refer more broadly to the general wide community of AI/AN peoples and tribes. Some tips on behaviour. Part of an identity. For the purposes of these guidelines, CDC promotes person-first language, but also promotes an awareness that language changes with time and individuals within groups sometimes disagree about the preferred language used to describe themselves. Take note of their choices in written language. Comment: Terms are variations of the condition and describes someone as the condition and implies the person is an object of medical care. How to use politically correct in a sentence.