1 Respectful Language

When discussing and learning about the issues around accessibility, one of the first things we need to do is to examine the way we talk about disability. This is a very sensitive topic, and it can frankly be a bit of a moving target, so it's important to stay informed and to get into the habit of constant mindfulness of our language and how it reveals the way we think and feel.

Appropriate language isn't a matter of "political correctness"; it's a measure of the respect that we show towards others, and an acknowledgment that our own perception of what's offensive or inoffensive may not be the most accurate or impartial. We should always be open to a "Wow, I never thought of it that way" moment.

One of the factors that can make adopting respectful language confusing is that there isn't complete consensus about what constitutes "correct" terminology. Preferred terminology may vary among age groups and nationalities or cultures. Little people is a generally accepted term in the US, Links to an external site. but short-statured person is preferred by Australian advocacy groups Links to an external site.. 

Bureaucratic structures are slow to change, so certain terms which were acceptable in the past, but no longer are, remain in place in legislative language and organization names. As an example, take a look at the progress of the ARC Links to an external site. organization as it removed the term retarded from its materials and organization. Similarly, the word handicapped has fallen out of favor, but still remains in use in identification of access points for wheelchairs or lift-equipped vehicles. The term special needs is widespread in medical literature, degree programs, and legislation, but there is a growing avoidance of it by some advocacy groups as being patronizing Links to an external site. or euphemistic Links to an external site..

So how do we navigate the complex and changing landscape that is disability-related language?

Avoid terms that are commonly used in pejorative ways to indicate a person with a sensory, cognitive, or motor disability: retarded, dumb, midget, spastic, etc.

Use people-first language. People-first language emphasizes the individual, not the disability. 

Adapted from Communicating With and About People With Disabilities Links to an external site.

Note that there are significant populations--in particular many people who are blind, deaf, or autistic-- who prefer not to use people-first language when referencing their disabilities, because they consider them to be an essential component of who they are. In fact it's not unusual for two individuals with the same disability to prefer that they, or it, be identified or referenced in different ways, so when in doubt it's always best to check with the individual to see what terminology they prefer. 

Avoid terms that connote pity. Terms such as afflicted with, stricken with, suffers from, and victim of imply a reduced quality of life. Describing someone who uses a wheelchair as "wheelchair-bound" or "confined to a wheelchair" similarly assumes and emphasizes the restrictive quality of the disability.

Avoid use of the term normal. Humans exist across a broad spectrum of abilities and talents. Contrasting disability with "normality" identifies the person with a disability as "broken" or "abnormal," and implies that that person needs to be "fixed." 

A good place to begin educating yourself about disability-related language is to check the terminology used by advocacy groups Links to an external site. for various disabilities. An excellent reference guide is the National Center on Disability and Journalism's Disability Language Style Guide Links to an external site..