In addition, avoid terms such as "confined to a wheelchair" or "disabled toilet or parking space." Instead, use the terms, the student in a wheelchair or the student who uses a wheelchair, the accessible toilet or accessible parking space. It is okay to use words or phrases such as "disabled," "disability," or "people with disabilities" when talking about disability issues. In that case, its just disability students with disabilities, disability in education, etc. If you want to hear me reading this, just click the link below. If your key groups are organizations or people directly involved in the project/activity, use terms that describe the nature of their influence or involvement. 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). But what if you are not sure what to call people with disabilities or how to refer to them? Note: Underserved relates to limited access to services that are accessible, acceptable, and affordable, including healthcare. Part of an identity. Wheelchair user is now a term that has been coined. These are all terms which should never be used in conversation, and there would be little loss in communication if we did just stop using them except for historical or explanatory purposes (like their appearance in this article). The concept has been discussed, disputed, criticized, and satirized by commentators from across the political spectrum. Politically correct words or terms are used to show differences between people or groups in a non-offensive way. Its not something special we do for them. 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.. The term mental retardation was introduced to replace words like "idiot" and "imbecile" that were used in the past to identify people with certain levels of intelligence. The main alternative is to be factual and descriptive. But many disabled people increasingly feel that their disabilities are not invaders or merely inconvenient attributes, but something more central to who they are. Traumatic Brain Injury Resources and Blog Posts, Cool Cats: Voices from the Disability Community, International Alliance of Writers for Down Syndrome: The T21 Alliance, The Right Things to Say to Someone with a Chronic Illness, The famous person or situation or whatever apologizes. Speaking as someone with a few years of experience working with people with developmental disabilities the current politically correct term is what I just used. Normally, I would never say that I am the deaf girl, I always use my name. Lawrence Carter-Long, who founded the movement called Disabled, Say the Word, says, "The language we use mirrors the ways we think," he says. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). "Person with a Disability" is a more inclusive, less biased term to describe someone who is disabled . 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). When referring to people who are experiencing symptoms (for example, depression, anxiety) but a condition has not been diagnosed or the symptoms may not reach a clinical threshold, consider: Persons experiencing persistent high stress or anxiety, Asylum seeker; people who are seeking asylum, Non-U.S.-born persons/foreign-born persons, Use accurate and clearly defined terms when referring to foreign-born persons. sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or . Comment: Terms are inaccurate, demeaning. They werent viewed as insults at the time. 2. Even the term "disability" is not universally accepted. Why we, as parents should rethink using the term special needs. Some work to curb the use of obviously insulting terms, while others take pride in the old adage about sticks and stones. Some hope to use language to lift disabled people up, while others prefer precision and linguistic elegance. Avoid passive, victim words. How is a world okay? Shouldnt he have the right to enter every door that I enter, without a hassle? 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. Disabled is a describing word and should not be used to categorize a group of individuals. 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. When disability struck me, I lost a great deal and went through years of suffering. Say "person with disability" rather than "disabled person." Say "people with disability" rather than "the disabled." The terms used for people with disabilities all too frequently perpetuate stereotypes and false ideas. Suffers from or is afflicted with [condition], People with a pre-existing mental health disorder, People with a pre-existing behavioral health disorder, People with a diagnosis of a mental illness/mental health disorder/behavioral health disorder. People are individuals and deserve to be mentioned before or instead of their possible disabilities. Its a word used with pride. Dunn, D. S., & Andrews, E. (2015). News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. Which is the correct term, disability rights or handicapped rights? Don't use insensitive terms ("crazy," "insane," "psycho," "nuts," "deranged") to describe someone displaying unusual or violent behaviors, or who may have a mental illness . Rather, individuals with disabilities are always referred to in US law as individuals with disabilities. The definition of politically correct language (abbreviated to PC) is choosing and using words that focus on empathy, fairness and justice. Comment: People LIVE with a disability, they have to overcome attitudinal, social, architectural, educational, transportation and employment barriers. Most disabled people are comfortable with the words used to describe daily living. Organizations that value differences reflect it in their communication. Tribes hold a unique government to government relationship with the United States. Disability is a particular way of seeing, hearing, feeling, thinking, moving, learning, sensing, being. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. Heres one for the numbers geeks out there. What is another word for mentally challenged? But just like those derogatory words, the term "retardation" has become an insult, along with . The term has often been used derisively . You are a real hero!") Exploring disability practices, policy, politics, and culture. Recognize obviously insulting terms and stop using or tolerating them. It has led to my own personal empowerment because most of my growing up years involved me being ashamed of my hearing handicapped status as I was mainstreamed in public schools and often the ONLY deaf person in the class. Don't use: "Schizophrenic, psychotic, disturbed, crazy or insane". You should also avoid using terms like 'able-bodied' as this implies 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.". The following provides some preferred terms for select population groups; these terms attempt to represent an ongoing shift toward non-stigmatizing language. Patti, as many of you know, is a passionate blogger. Meriah, thank you for capturing and describing the angst of so many of us who wish to be sensitive in todays turbulent social bullying environment! For example, use "people with mental illnesses" not "the mentally . As a Deaf person with Parkinsons and the father of two sons with Autism, I thank you for this well-thought out and written article. While some words/phrases are commonly used by many, including those with disabilities, usage is likely due to habit rather than intentional meaning. The term alien (person who is not a citizen of the United States) may be stigmatizing in some contexts and should only be used in technical documents and when referring to or using immigration law terminology. While some words/phrases are commonly used by many, including those with disabilities, usage is likely due to habit rather than intentional meaning. With that in mind, some basic guidelines for politically correct and the disabled: Meriah Nichols is a counselor. The terms used for people with disabilities all too frequently perpetuate stereotypes and false ideas. 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?!!!!!! You have accepted additional cookies. Arrrrrghhhh! I haven't said this since high school when a couple of my peers said to me, "Dude, we're not African. The term migrant farmworker or migrant agricultural worker is often used to refer to persons who travel from their home base to another location within the same country, or from one country to another, to perform agricultural work. (Cutesy-pie labels are uninformative and trivialize an important part of a persons identity. (2010). A disability is present when activities usually performed by people (such as walking, talking, reading or learning) are in some way restricted. However, conscious thought about what we say, and when we say it . Dont automatically refer to disabled people in all communications many people who need disability benefits and services dont identify with this term. Word and phrases that have been accepted and entered into our day to day vocabulary that enhance the inclusion of individuals or groups of people, usually found in minorities in our societies and communities.
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