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Mar 15, 2021 · The word ‘disabled’ is a description not a group of people. Use ‘disabled people’ not ‘the disabled’ as the collective term. ... many people who need disability benefits and services ...
- “Spaz” If you’ve ever called someone a “spaz,” you may have meant it all in good fun, but it’s anything but fun for many people with disabilities. The word “spaz” is slang for “spastic,” which is a medical term that was originally used to describe people with cerebral palsy.
- “Crazy” You’ve probably used the word “crazy” more times than you can count, but you may not know it’s harmful to people with mental illness. Since the Middle Ages, “crazy” has derogatorily referred to people who have a disease or sickness.
- “Lame” If your first inclination is to call a boring night out or a letdown of a party “lame,” please think again. Although “lame” was originally a term to describe people who struggle to move, by the 1600s, it was used to describe old, irrelevant news.
- “Retard” You’ve likely seen the “r-word” all over the internet — and you may also have spotted plenty of campaigns against it. “Retard” is one of the most recognizable disability slurs, but even a spate of awareness campaigns about how the “r-word” hurts people with intellectual disabilities hasn’t taken it out of people’s vocabularies.
Feb 25, 2024 · Many institutions, including The American Psychological Association (APA), promote what is referred to as “person-first language” when it comes to talking about people with disabilities (1). Person-first language puts the person before the disability, using phrases like “person with a disability” or “person with autism” instead of “disabled person” or “autistic person.”
- Cripple. Cripple is a term used to describe people with physical disability or mobility issues. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines it as; “a person who is unable to walk or move properly through disability or because of injury to their back or legs.”
- Retard. Retard is a 15th-century word used for someone who has a mental delay and is slow at learning. It is today seen as an abusive term to describe people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours.
- Handicapped. Handicapped is described in the OED as someone; “having a condition that markedly restricts their ability to function physically, mentally, or socially.”
- Special Needs. Special needs is a term that is usually associated with health and social care professionals. It’s used in places such as schools, care homes, medical facilities clubs or societies to describe a group of disabled people.
- He or she looks so normal. If you suggest someone with a disability — or a person with diverse intellectual, emotional or physical needs—“looks normal,” you’re implying a person with a disability is abnormal.
- Using terms like crazy, nuts, insane or psycho. One in five people in the U.S. has a mental health issue. You likely know someone with a mental health challenge or have one yourself.
- Saying handicapped. Handicapped is a term long rejected by the disability community. Being handicapped has a negative connotation. It brings to mind a person who isn’t capable or able to function as part of society.
- Calling someone or something retarded. Most people are aware that the word retarded is no longer acceptable. And yet, they still say it. People with intellectual disabilities were formerly referred to as mentally retarded.
A disability is a condition or quality linked to a particular person. A disability is present when activities usually performed by people (such as walking, talking, reading or learning) are in some way restricted. Thus, someone with congenital blindness has a disability, as does someone who must use a wheelchair for mobility purposes.
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Sep 12, 2015 · Here are a few terms to avoid: Abnormal: Inappropriate when used to describe an individual. See entry on abnormal. Afflicted with: Implies that a person with a disability is suffering or has a reduced quality of life. See entry on afflicted. Able-bodied: Refers to a person who does not have a disability. The term implies that all people with ...
