Latinx has been proposed as a gender-neutral English term, but there is debate around its usage. What if you SUCK and just MESS UP and someone catches you and you are proved to be a COMPLETELY INSENSITIVE and HURTFUL HUMAN BEING?!!!!!! Use LGBTQ community (and not, for example, gay community) to reflect the diversity of the community unless a specific sub-group is meant to be referenced. sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or . When I was growing up, my parents used to say that the kids that made fun of me didnt have a good excuse for being the way they were and that their condition would be far more difficult to live with as they matured (if they did at all)! When will people realize how precious our Downs community is, and how much they have to teach the rest of us about loving kindness. We can name specific types of disability, like cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, amputee, or blind. As a counselor, it's also a place in which I offer you wellness, support and resources. Political correctness (PC) refers to language that avoids offending persons of various genders, races, sexual orientations, cultures, or social conditions. The Down syndrome community is sick of it, the greater (cross-disability) disability is sick of it, and there we go. Dumb, mute ; Person who cannot speak, has difficulty speaking, uses synthetic speech, is non-vocal, non-verbal . volunteer, etc I have a keen interest in this topic, and a lifetime of experience. Unacceptable: the disabled, the handicapped. Certainly not by non-disabled people. Do you say none of the words? 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. As Michelle Swan says in her essay My Needs are not Special, My needs are not special, they are just my needs, and I have the same right to have my needs met as any other person.. Use as a descriptive noun or adjective, such as person living with AIDS, woman who is blind. I think whats important is that we all acknowledge that were on different parts of this journey and have things to learn. It turns out that the best choice is simply to call people what they prefer to be called. Identity-first language promotes use of phrases like "amputee," "diabetic" and "disabled person" (but not "victim" or similar negative words) where disability identity comes first. This doesnt help someone who is looking for the politically correct term for special needs to put on their resume from a job in education back when special needs was the correct term. Is there a way for anyone to navigate disability language clearly, safely, and respectfully? Disabled people prefer this. PDF DISABILITY TERMINOLOGY CHART - California 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. As I am trying to grow and learn about ableism, I have tried to go back and update the particularly cringe-worthy ones. Its the kind of situation where if you are part of the group you can use it for yourselves, but from other peoples mouths its an insult. Debilitated. "Impaired" means weakened, diminished, or damaged. I will still make mistakes. National Association of the Deaf - NAD When in doubt, keep it simple. Lets try and follow a story arc. Disabled people needto get access to community transit, theaters, restaurants, swimming pools, shopping malls, and everything else that you and I access without even thinking about it. Field Placement & Career Accommodations and Resources. Perhaps the thinking is if we can make disability a positive thing than we can diminish our own fears about the . But that girl using a wheelchair says gimp or crip. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Its a word used with pride. For example, use "people with mental illnesses" not "the mentally . (Sorry, the link I had is no longer valid and I cannot find it). Here Are Some Dos And Don'ts Of Disability Language - Forbes Comment: Terms are demeaning. Most of the . The most essential guideline for disability language is to use whatever words each individual disabled person prefers. Consider racial/ethnic groups as proper nouns and capitalize (for example, Black, White). The other strives to be more sober, but also elegant and comfortable when spoken and written. 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. Some use words to unify the diverse disability community, while others strive for specificity and ever finer distinctions between different disabilities and communities. A phrase like "stroke victim," for example, is not innocuous, as it suggests that a person succumbed or was passive. For now, because I am not disabled, I am going to follow their lead, as we all should do. Almost no term is as insulting as a non-disabled person patiently or aggressively explaining to a disabled person why their own way of talking about themselves is wrong. 2023 A Day In Our Shoes with Lisa Lightner, Disability Acceptance, Advocacy and Activism. Emphasizes the heart string or telethon-ish perspective. Learning Differences: More than a politically correct term for learning Choosing Words for Talking About Disability Disability is a normal part of human diversity. 7 terms to avoid when talking about mental illnesses - HealthPartners Taking an identity-first approach promotes autonomy among and for people with disabilities. You are a real hero!") Avoid using vulnerable when describing people with disabilities. But the needs themselves are not special.. More Appropriate: people who are developmentally disabled have Downs Syndrome, Less Appropriate: Sam is epileptic, Tony is CP (cerebral palsied),- spastic, Helen is LD (learning disabled), is AD/HD. In the words of Lawrence Carter-Long: A need isn't special if other people get to take the same thing for granted. for over a decade. 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. Michelle Swan. Comment: People LIVE with a disability, they have to overcome attitudinal, social, architectural, educational, transportation and employment barriers. That is, its person-first language a person with a disability until the person sees disability as an identity, then it becomes identify first. They are not necessarily more politically correct., More Appropriate: a person has a physical, sensory or mental disability, Less Appropriate: inspirational, courageous. But just like learning about mourning (cringe) and autistic and people first language, this is where I am learning. Which is the correct term, disability rights or handicapped rights? I myself have been one of those that have been upset. Why are we avoiding using the word disabled? How he will access them is different. Its use may be considered on an audience-specific basis. Recognize obviously insulting terms and stop using or tolerating them. Do not use disabilities as nouns to refer to people. What's The Politically Correct Term for Disabled Person? (With Gifs) More Appropriate: walks with a cane, uses crutches, has a disabled/handicapped hand, Less Appropriate: crazy, insane, psycho, nut, maniac, former mental patient. Instead, Im taking cues from advocates who are disabled themselves. With that in mind, some basic guidelines for politically correct and the disabled: "Special needs" WAS an educational term, not a disability term. The group urges using positive language that avoids referring to people with disabilities as "the disabled, the blind, the epileptics, a quadriplegic," etc. Its ok to say the word. Because many people have asked me if its still politically correct to use the term special needs, and what to say instead. Are those needs any different from you or me? 3. Quinn West, a disabled artist living in Chicago, grew up going to a mainstream school and felt the impact of the term "special needs." "Abled people assume that saying 'special' means a 'good . Acceptable and Unacceptable Disability Terminology The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Denies other aspects of the person. CDC is aware that some individuals with disabilities prefer to use identity-first terminology, which means a disability or disability status is referred to first. Overwhelmingly, we prefer to be called "hard of hearing people.". What is the politically correct term for homeless? They are somebody's son, somebody's daughter. Washington, D.C.: Author. "Hard of Hearing," "Hearing Impaired" or "Deaf"Which Is Correct? He is currently editor-in-chief of the Oxford Bibliographies (OB): Psychology and a member of Board of the Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology. To declare oneself or another person as deaf or blind, for example, was considered somewhat bold, rude, or impolite. Dunn also blogs regularly for Psychology Today's "Head of the Class.". Its for everyone out there like my friend who asked me to write this post because she was just confused by all the talk out there about what to call us! No. What Is The Politically Correct Term For Special Needs? Say "person with disability" rather than "disabled person." Say "people with disability" rather than "the disabled." IMHO, and not too much of a mouth-ful (as developmentally disabled tends to be). The terms used for people with disabilities all too frequently perpetuate stereotypes and false ideas. Members of Deaf culture want their label to be capitalized with a "D," which is a means for establishing unity and community. What is the politically correct way to say blind? - Sage-Advices ), More Appropriate: Anita has a physical disability; Tom is unable to walk, Less Appropriate: sightless, blind as a bat, four eyes. Aim to be factual, descriptive, and simple, not condescending, sentimental, or awkward. I will use them interchangeably too. Neil has to use other words to describe me. Rather than using terms such as disabled person, handicapped people, a crippled person, use terms such as people/persons with disabilities, a person with a disability, or a person with a visual impairment. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. What Are the Politically Correct Terms For Students With Disabilities Disability and disabled work elegantly simply to describe the shared social identity of all people who have any kind of disability. 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.