By Angie Wellmeier
A PLACE FOR ALL
There are approximately 61 million adults in America who are reported as having some form of a disability – whether it is one you can physically see with your own eyes or, more often, one you cannot.
When speaking to someone with a disability, many people can unintentionally come across as insensitive or rude depending on their choice of words. It is an important rule of thumb to use “person-first language” (also referred to as people-first language, or PFL) to emphasize the person first and foremost, not their disability. A person’s disability should never be their primary descriptor. Person-first language avoids using labels to define someone, and instead focuses on a condition a person “has” rather than suggesting what a person “is.” As an example, one should say “Lucas has autism” rather than saying “Lucas is autistic.” Or another example: say “people with disabilities,” instead of saying “disabled people.”
Why is using person-first language important? Because it affects the way people feel about themselves. When people do not use person-first language, it can put a negative emphasis on the individual’s differences and may cause them to feel pitied, not accepted, or not included. In general, all people want to feel accepted, respected, valued, and seen as individuals – not unfairly defined by a small part of who they are, or in this case their disability.
Here are some general tips you can follow when speaking to and/or about an individual with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control:
- Emphasize their abilities, not their limitations. Instead of saying “Katie is wheelchair-bound,” say “Katie uses a wheelchair.” Instead of saying “Carlos can’t talk,” say “Carlos uses a device to speak.”
- Avoid using language suggesting that an individual is lacking in something. Instead of saying “handicap,” say “person with a disability.” Instead of saying “Justin is deaf,” say “Justin has a hearing impairment.”
- Emphasize the need for accessibility, not the disability. Instead of saying “handicap restroom,” say “accessible restroom.”
- Do not use offensive language. Refrain from using words like crippled, lame, deformed, invalid, spastic, slow, insane, crazy, moronic, psychotic – just to name a few; many other similar words are never appropriate. Instead, say “person with a physical disability,” or “person with an intellectual disability,” or “person with a behavioral/emotional disability.”
- Avoid using negative stereotypes. Do not refer to other people as “normal and/or healthy.” This gives the impression to an individual with a disability that they are not normal or healthy.
- Do not portray those with disabilities as an inspiration only because of their disability. Instead of saying “Nick has overcome his disability” or “Nick is courageous,” say “Nick is successful” or “Nick is productive.”
As people begin to consciously shift their choice of words to put the person first, we can begin to squash the negative stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding individuals with disabilities, allowing us to focus on what their abilities are. If you are unsure, do not be afraid to ask the person how they wish to be described! By being more mindful of our use of words, we can all do our part to be a more inclusive community.
Angie Wellmeier has served as Executive Assistant at St. Benedict Cathedral for three years, and currently serves as a Parish Liaison on the Committee for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.