Disabled not 'special needs': Experts explain why we shouldn't say it However, different people prefer different terminology. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. The language of Disability While some words/phrases are commonly used by many, including those with disabilities, usage is likely due to habit rather than intentional meaning. Be aware that not every family is the same, and that some children are not being raised by their biological parents. What is the politically correct way to say special needs? The terms used for people with disabilities all too frequently perpetuate stereotypes and false ideas. 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 . Why the Word "Handicapped" Should Be Eliminated From Our Vocabulary The new term to say instead of Special Needs. Here's why you shouldn't use them, and what to say instead. It epitomizes how far the disability community has come. The National Association of the Deaf supports these terms, and they are used by most organizations involved with the Deaf community. This post is about the politically correct term for disabled and politically correct term for special needs. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. Organizations that value differences reflect it in their communication. This style guide, which covers dozens of words and terms commonly used when referring to disability, can help. These conditions, or impairments, may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. I think the important thing though is NOT whether either is "politically correct" but what is helpful or hurtful! 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. As a counselor, it's also a place in which I offer you wellness, support and resources. Do not use disabilities as nouns to refer to people. How he will access them is different. They are somebody's son, somebody's daughter. I occasionally get email from folks, and much of it is condescending and patronizing, telling me to use PFL and stuff. American Psychological Association. 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. I know just like most of you do as well that there is a certain amount of weariness felt by members outside of our community. 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. That doesnt mean every adult from those communities, just like not every adult with Down syndrome is asking you to quit saying the r-word; but enough of them, the majority of them, identify as having adisability, not aspecial need. A PC term for mental retardation is "intellectual disability". While some words/phrases are commonly used by many, including those with disabilities, usage is likely due to habit rather than intentional meaning. A phrase like "stroke victim," for example, is not innocuous, as it suggests that a person succumbed or was passive. That doesnt make their needs special and when we set the tone that they are special needs, it minimizes their rights. 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 beggar but that may not even be factual. Debilitated. Lawrence Carter-Long, who founded the movement called Disabled, Say the Word, says, "The language we use mirrors the ways we think," he says. More Appropriate: Sue has arthritis, diabetes, paralyzed, has paralysis in her legs, Less Appropriate: Bob is afflicted with, stricken with, suffers from, a victim of polio, spinal cord injury, AIDS. Politically Correct Language of Disability | Disabled World More Appropriate: blind, legally blind, partially sighted, vision impaired, Less Appropriate: deaf and dumb, deaf-mute, dummy. The correct term is just "Europeans". But its widespread use as a generic term for a set of common experiences and social positions make these terms as close to value neutral as can be possible, and therefore useful in the much more achievable goals of accurate identification, equality, and basic respect. A few highlights of the document: Put the person first. Because my son uses a wheelchair and because quite often we go out in public just the two of us, we often have trouble accessing doors. 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. In practice, this means that instead of referring to a "disabled person," use "person with a disability." Her scholarship is focused on disability issues in psychology, including social justice in reproduction and parenting, disability as diversity and the prevalence disability in the field of psychology. You can read more of her thoughts in that link. Why we, as parents should rethink using the term special needs. The Backlash. That is, its person-first language a person with a disability until the person sees disability as an identity, then it becomes identify first. When talking about people without disabilities, it is okay to say "people without disabilities." But the way we refer to other people affects how we think of them. Some people say that using different terms to refer to people gives in to a movement to be politically correct. From actual disabled people. Everyone is somewhere different in their journey, their life. 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. 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. An inclusive and diverse environment isn't just about hiring people that "look good" on the brochure. Note: Underserved relates to limited access to services that are accessible, acceptable, and affordable, including healthcare. 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). 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. No, theyre not. And what I have learned is that it is not just okay but preferable in many cases to call a disability a disability and not trying to cover it up with softer language.. They're not strangers. Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, shes a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black. thats so awesome/not awesome and YES. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. In it, I was talking about how caring for an elderly man in the advanced stages of Alzheimers helped me to heal. Wheelchair users may not view themselves as confined to a wheelchair try thinking of it as a mobility aid instead. Change in Terminology: "Mental Retardation" to "Intellectual Disability" To take another quote from the blog post I mentioned earlier: Disability. However, many deaf people whose first language is BSL consider themselves part of the deaf community they may describe themselves as Deaf, with a capital D, to emphasise their deaf identity. Calling my son anything else does not make him any less disabled. 3 Reasons to Say "Disability" Instead of "Special Needs" In 2013, Dunn received the American Psychological Foundation's Charles L. Brewer Award for Distinguished Teaching of Psychology. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. But my guess is that within the next few years, this term will fade away. 7 terms to avoid when talking about mental illnesses - HealthPartners The following provides some preferred terms for select population groups; these terms attempt to represent an ongoing shift toward non-stigmatizing language. Field Placement & Career Accommodations and Resources. Disabled is not a dirty word. Why? A note here about Person First vs. 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.. Advancing psychology to benefit society and improve lives, Contact the Office on Disability Issues in Psychology. 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. What is the politically correct term for mentally disabled? 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. Political Correctness: Its Origins and the Backlash - The Conversation Now I recognize that those tough times made me a stronger more compassionate person. A already noted, the power to define how we talk about ourselves is crucial in deciding which terms and language constructions should and shouldnt be used. Consider using the terms sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Its a way of experiencing the world. Appropriate Language About People With Disabilities Instead, use: "Person living with schizophrenia"; "Person experiencing psychosis, disorientation or hallucination". Now, its just a term that you should be staying way the hell away from (see. In the words of Lawrence Carter-Long: A need isn't special if other people get to take the same thing for granted. How about it?! Any well-meaning persons reasons for the choices they believe in are largely secondary compared to respecting what how disabled person wants to be talked about and referred to. Several months ago, I did a blog post about People First Language, and why it shouldnt be mandated. "Handi-capable", "People of all abilities", "Different abilities", "Differently abled" can be lumped together with "special needs.". The handicapped are no longer covered by this term. Person with a disability is now referred to as a disabled person. Saying disabled is fine; person with a disability is fine too, but see how the person wants to be referred to as. Are those needs any different from you or me? Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. 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. The most essential guideline for disability language is to use whatever words each individual disabled person prefers. What is the politically correct term for the disabled? ), More Appropriate: Anita has a physical disability; Tom is unable to walk, Less Appropriate: sightless, blind as a bat, four eyes. Guidelines for Writing and Referring to People with Disabilities Person with . 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. Paralyzed, spastic, and victim are no longer used terms. Incapacitated. Its the constant little pin-pricks of being called what we specifically ask to NOT be called from the handi-capable, special needs, the references to wheelchair bound, and the differently-abled.. Disability Disability is a term used to describe people who have a mental or physical impairment which has a long-term effect on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities. She earned her BS in psychology from Michigan State University, and her PsyD in clinical psychology from Wright State University, in Dayton, Ohio. I love how you captured that a person is who they are first, and the disability, in whatever form is secondary to that. Comment: One commenter observed that there are "many gradations" in the type or severity of intellectual disabilities, which the term "intellectual disability" could encompass. You should also avoid using terms like 'able-bodied' as this implies people . 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? For example, a statement comparing parents with parents of color implies that White parents are the norm against which others (parents of color) are compared. Instead, Im taking cues from advocates who are disabled themselves. The word has been around for centuries, but was not used to refer to people with disabilities until the late 1800s. Used as a put-down in most cases. Emphasizes the heart string or telethon-ish perspective. A community. Lets try and write our way through the whole arc of our connection with disability, and then lets gather the posts at the, Read More Summer Blog Hop Series: Challenge!Continue, [vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=outline style=round]This is an opinion post about recognizing and leaning into moments that can transform us, specifically, moments related to disability acceptance. Build flexibility into communications and surveys to allow full participation. Examples: contributors, community, community members, community impacted, community affected, community of solution, coalition members, allies, colleagues, clients, tribes, advocacy groups, interested parties/groups, implementing partners, working partners, funders. Disability Loans Print page Politically Correct Language of Disability. However, conscious thought about what we say, and when we say it, may help to more positively reshape how we communicate about disability in society. Within context, there shouldnt be any confusion about it referring to the Asian country, India. Since we're talking about replacements for "crippled," we'll focus on the physical disabilities, which is why "disabled" still works as the best replacement. Totally agree. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3, confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound, mentally handicapped, mentally defective, retarded, subnormal, with a learning disability (singular) with learning disabilities (plural), people with visual impairments; blind people; blind and partially sighted people, an epileptic, diabetic, depressive, and so on, person with epilepsy, diabetes, depression or someone who has epilepsy, diabetes, depression, someone with restricted growth or short stature, use a normal tone of voice, dont patronise or talk down, dont be too precious or too politically correct being super-sensitive to the right and wrong language and depictions will stop you doing anything, never attempt to speak or finish a sentence for the person you are talking to, address disabled people in the same way as you talk to everyone else, speak directly to a disabled person, even if they have an interpreter or companion with them. Refugees who leave their homes may be entitled to a range of legal protections and aid to which migrants are not entitled. 4. In everyday life, some people use the term handicapor refer to people with disabilities as the handicapped. (Cutesy-pie labels are uninformative and trivialize an important part of a persons identity. Dunn is the author or editor of 29 books and over 150 journal articles, chapters and book reviews. Here Are Some Dos And Don'ts Of Disability Language - Forbes Deaf? Disabled? What To Call Those With Hearing Loss - AARP A disability is present when activities usually performed by people (such as walking, talking, reading or learning) are in some way restricted. You have rejected additional cookies. Language in communication products should reflect and speak to the needs of people in the audience of focus. Otherwise, identify persons or groups by their specific tribal affiliation. Is saying "the disabled" or "disabled people" acceptable, for example? Use gender-neutral language whenever possible (for example, avoid actress and consider actor instead for both male and female actors). I couldnt agree with her more. Denies other aspects of the person. By doing so, a disabled individual intentionally chooses an identity rather than allowing others even well meaning others, such as family, friends and medical professionals to do so for them. Even as I describe people as being visually impaired, I have already stepped into word doo-doo. Choosing Words for Talking About Disability But just like learning about mourning (cringe) and autistic and people first language, this is where I am learning. How is a world okay? Dana S. Dunn, a professor of psychology at Moravian College, in Bethlehem, Penn. They dont shift and change just to mess up nervous non-disabled people. Some really lay into me and brow beat me over it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Comment: People LIVE with a disability, they have to overcome attitudinal, social, architectural, educational, transportation and employment barriers. 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." . But many disabled people increasingly feel that their disabilities are not invaders or merely inconvenient attributes, but something more central to who they are. "Blind" means unable to see, sightless, lacking the sense of sight. Are you friggin kidding me? Its the term to use when specific diagnoses are less important than the barriers we all encounter, the social position we all share, the ableism we all face. Note that it is widely used as a legal term in documents, on signs, etc. Specific disorders are types of mental illness and should be used whenever possible (for example, when not referring to people with different mental health disorders collectively). ), Referring to people as colored people, colored Indian (to refer to American Indian), Native American (for federal publications), The [racial/ethnic] community (for example, the Black community), Non-White (used with or without specifying non-Hispanic or Latino), American Indian or Alaska Native persons/communities/populations, Black or African American persons; Black persons, People who identify with more than one race; people of more than one race; persons of multiple races, The racial and ethnic group terms provided in CDCs Health Equity Guiding Principles align with those in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Arrrrrghhhh! It is a means through which many of us live our lives, a platform of existence. And read things written by disabled people, too. I was at an event yesterday, and some stewards were helping me up a hill. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Confusion in the use and understanding of these terms can impact the lives and safety of refugees and asylum-seekers. The add-on phrase "with a disability," for example, effectively dissociates the disability from the person. Is disability a politically correct term? - TimesMojo Using disability language that puts the people first, then mentioning their disabilities when appropriate, is the preferred and recommended language according to ADA guidelines and documents. 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).