What Is The Politically Correct Term For Disabled

What Is The Politically Correct Way To Say Mentally Challenged

See mental health entry . Mentally retarded: Always try to specify the type of disability being referenced. Otherwise, the terms mental disability, intellectual disability and developmental disability are acceptable. See entry on mentally retarded/mentally disabled, intellectually disabled, developmentally disabled .

What Do You Call A White Person

What is another word for white? Caucasian is the most common, formal word to identify a white person, but federal data collection also simply uses the word white. Caucasian is defined as a person of European origin which derived from the word Caucasus, but according to workforce.com:

Most white people in the U.S. arent descended from the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia but from western and northern Europe.

This author says white people is acceptable and politically correct language.

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Politically Correct Term For Minority

What is the politically correct term for minority? The term minority was popular in the 1990s and replaced the use of the offensive phrase colored people, but its popularity as a PC term has lost traction in recent years.

One reason that minority is politically incorrect is that the word minor in minority suggests someone of lesser significance.

More inclusive terms are now being used to replace the word minority like:

• Black, Indigenous, People of Color
• Underrepresented Group

The other alternative is to refer to groups individually

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Cleft Palate Or Lip/harelip

Background: The University of Kansas Research & Training Center on Independent Living describes this as a specific congenital disability involving the lip and gum. The center recommends against using the term harelip as it is anatomically incorrect and stigmatizing.

NCJD Recommendation: Use person who has a cleft palate. Avoid harelip.

Conforms to AP style

What Parents Say About Their Children With Disabilities

Parents may be more comfortable using “special needs.” But their children most likely won’t take that with them into adulthood.

“While it is used by parents of disabled kids, as those kids become young adults, they do not use this term,” Lauren Appelbaum, vice president of communications at RespectAbility says.

Smith doesn’t want her disabled daughter Claire to have “special” treatment. Her daughter simply requires extra support. “I think it’s really important that non-disabled people, people who don’t know people with disabilities, understand that I’m not really asking for anything that special for my daughter, I’m just asking that she be able to participate in her community, in life, on an equal basis as my other kids,” she says.

Parents who opt to use the term are not coming from a bad place.

“Parents, like all of us, are prone to adopt whatever is common in the ecosystem that surrounds them,” Carter-Long says. “And since most folks arent born into disabled families, its no surprise that they just adopt whatever their friends and neighbors do. Even if its unintentionally bigoted. Even if it harms their kids in ways they dont quite understand.”

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How Do You Help Someone Who Is Differently Abled

5 Ways You Can Support The Differently-Abled Ask Before Offering Help: Dont assume that people with disabilities would always require some assistance in leading their lives and the first step is to treat them as equals. Speak Clearly, And Listen: Make Them Feel Confident: Respect Personal Space: Make Changes:.

Special Needs Vs Disability

Several months ago, I did a blog post about People First Language, and why it shouldnt be mandated. Certainly not by non-disabled people.

At the end of that post, I said this: Up next: Ill be tackling special needs. Because that vernacular is seeing a shift too. Stay tuned. Because many people have asked me if its still politically correct to use the term special needs, and what to say instead.

So here we go. Why we, as parents should rethink using the term special needs.

First I want to quote another parent like me, who did a similar post almost a year ago. In that post she said,

I also want to say that Im just one person, going through my process. Everyone is somewhere different in their journey, their life. This is where Ive come to, but if you look back through my blog, youll see a few years ago I was a very different person. VERY DIFFERENT.

Hear, hear! I couldnt agree with her more. We are all at different points on our journey and learning and language and vernacular are constantly changing. I am sure that if you combed through every single blog post, youll find phrases that are ableist.

As I am trying to grow and learn about ableism, I have tried to go back and update the particularly cringe-worthy ones. But after 8 years of blogging, it will take me forever to find every instance where it says special needs and replace it. I also know that there are people who disagree with me, and thats ok too.

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Disabled People/people With Disabilities

Background: The phrased disabled people is an example of identity-first language . It is the preferred terminology in Great Britain and by a number of U.S. disability activists. Syracuse Universitys Disability Cultural Center says, The basic reason behind members of groups dislike for the application of people-first language to themselves is that they consider their disabilities to be inseparable parts of who they are. For example, they prefer to be referred to as autistic, blind or disabled.

Several U.S. disability groups have always used identity-first terms, specifically the culturally Deaf community and the autistic rights community.

NCDJ Recommendation: Ask the disabled person or disability organizational spokesperson about their preferred terminology.

Conforms to AP style, which adds that in describing groups of people, or when individual preferences cannot be determined, use person-first language.

Do Not Use Language That Perpetuates Negative Stereotypes About Psychiatric Disabilities

Much work needs to be done to break down stigma around psychiatric disabilities. The American Psychiatric Association has new guidelines for communicating responsibly about mental health.

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Collective Terms And Labels

The word disabled is a description not a group of people. Use disabled people not the disabled as the collective term.

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.

Avoid medical labels. They say little about people as individuals and tend to reinforce stereotypes of disabled people as patients or unwell.

Dont automatically refer to disabled people in all communications many people who need disability benefits and services dont identify with this term. Consider using people with health conditions or impairments if it seems more appropriate.

Why You Shouldnt Say Differently Abled Anymore

If youre sensing a theme, youre on to something. Despite what we say the motivations are, these euphemistic terms serve two purposes. People use them to try to eliminate potentially offensive terms. But the main purpose is to eliminate the discomfort of the group doing the naming.

Besides, the term differently abled doesnt describe what its meant to anyway. The term disabled means having a physical or mental impairment that limits movements, senses, or activities. There are no connotations of lesser or the condescension that accompanies terms like handicapable.

As Stephen Stern, professor at Gettysburg College, explains:

I am learning disabled. I am not differently abled. I have heard the story of a colleague at another institution who after suffering a stroke lost his sense of spatial awareness…But after the stroke, he suddenly found that he has computational capacities he had never before possessed. He could do quantitative work he had been incapable of before. This person became differently abled. That is not true of me.

Disabilities dont add a fun level of complexity to life. In a world that is ableist designed without real consideration towards the differently abled they make life harder. As disability activist and Paralympic Medalist Elizabeth Wright says, terms like differently abled take the disabled persons daily struggles, that are caused by ableist society, and attempts to turn these experiences into something positive and uplifting.

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Do Not Mention Someones Disability Unless It Is Essential To The Story

The fact that someone is blind or uses a wheelchair may or may not be relevant to the article you are writing. Only identify a person as having a disability if this information is essential to the story. For example, say Board president Chris Jones called the meeting to order. Do not say, Board president Chris Jones, who is blind, called the meeting to order. Its ok to identify someones disability if it is essential to the story. For example, Amy Jones, who uses a wheelchair, spoke about her experience with using accessible transportation.

Political Correctness And People With Disabilities

As a writer and an advocate for people with disabilities, I have observed that disabled people have become caught up in the politically correct movement and are trying to change how they are described and viewed by the public. The world is full of terms that stigmatize and stereotype people with disabilities as helpless, heroic, inferior, childlike or having something seriously wrong with them. Positive changes have been made in disability lingo, but sometimes, some people feel that the pursuit of political correctness may have gone too far.

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Is It Correct To Say Disabled Person

Never say a disabled person or the disabled. Say a person or people with disabilities. A disability is what someone has, not what someone is. For instance, mentally ill is less respectful than person with mental-health issues. Retarded is never an appropriate term.

Lets Talk About Disabilities

Terms like differently abled do more harm than good. Heres why you shouldnt use them, and what to say instead.

An inclusive and diverse environment isn’t just about hiring people that look good on the brochure. Organizations that value differences reflect it in their communication. The nuance isnt always easy to point out. Even for those of us with the best intentions, implicit biases may help our feet into our mouths more often than wed like to admit.

Search the term politically correct, and youll find it defined as the belief that language and actions that could be offensive to others, especially those relating to sex and race, should be avoided.

Frankly, that answer sounds a bit politically correct. Theres nothing wrong with trying to avoid offending others. However, determining what others will find offensive without including them is demeaning.

The attempt to use non-offensive language is noble. But highlighting individuals with disabilities as needing special treatment contributes to harmful stereotypes about disability both visible and invisible.

Well-meaning people may try to use words that seem inclusive, yet muddy the waters. This can cause confusion and leave others feeling even more misunderstood. Thats how we end up with cringe-inducing terms like handicapable, challenged, special needs, and differently abled.

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People First Philosophy Is Meant To Empower

Today, most educators, policy makers, therapists and community leaders have made an effort to integrate people first language into their work. Many others that come into contact with your child likely have not, however.

Even though parents cannot control what other people say, or how they act there are ways that parents can make people first language a priority in their childs life. Parents should interact with those that spend time with their child family, friends, caregiver, daycare provider, and teacher to educate them on their childs condition. They should stress that misused, outdated, or negative terminology is hurtful to the child.

Parents will want to surround their child with a positive environment in which to develop self-esteem and well-being. As influencers in a childs life, their comfort level and how they view, interact, intercede and perceive the child influences how they and others will also treat the child. These individuals will likely want the parent and the child to thrive, and will be receptive to people first point of view.

Here are some helpful tips towards a people first philosophy:

Also, normal is a word that, depending on its context, should not be used. Its okay to say Its normal to feel down once in a while. Its not acceptable to say John uses a walker because his legs arent normal. A better way to express the sentiment would be John often uses a walker to get to and from school.

What Is An Example Of A Disability

According to the World Health Organization, disability has three dimensions: Impairment in a persons body structure or function, or mental functioning examples of impairments include loss of a limb, loss of vision or memory loss. Activity limitation, such as difficulty seeing, hearing, walking, or problem solving.

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How Do You Talk To People With Disabilities

Approach the person as you would anyone else speak directly to the person, using clear, simple communication. Treat persons who are adults as adults. Do not patronize, condescend, or threaten when communicating with the person. Do not make decisions for the person or assume that you know the persons preferences.

Disabled People Vs People With Disabilities

In New Zealand we use the term disabled people. During the development of the New Zealand Disability Strategy there was much discussion and consultation on the language to be used and in the end ‘disabled people’ was chosen- rather than ‘person with disability’, ‘people with disabilities’, ‘people with experience of disability’ etc. The reasoning was that:

• people are people first
• they have particular impairments or conditions, that is, they are people with impairments e.g. a person with a vision impairment, or a hearing loss, or limited mobility.
• attitudinal and physical barriers in the world we all live in disable them
• therefore, they are disabled people . ‘Disabled’ refers to things outside the person that impact on them and put barriers in the way of their participation.

This use is explained in the New Zealand Disability Strategy and is strongly supported by DPA. However, individuals and groups have continued to use the language they feel most comfortable with e.g. people with an intellectual disability or, even more preferred, people with learning disabilities. And it was ‘people with disabilities’ that the disabled people’s organisations present at the United Nations were comfortable with. However, as people come to understand the reason above they tend to feel more comfortable with ‘disabled people’.

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Faq: How Do You Say Disabled Politically Correct

Use the term disability, and take the following terms out of your vocabulary when talking about or talking to people with disabilities. Dont use the terms handicapped, differently-abled, cripple, crippled, victim, retarded, stricken, poor, unfortunate, or special needs.

Contents

Difference Between Dwarf And Midget

Little People of America defines midget vs. dwarf in this way:

Dwarfism is a medical or genetic condition that usually results in an adult height of 410 or shorter, among both men and women, although in some cases a person with a dwarfing condition may be slightly taller than that.The average height of an adult with dwarfism is 40, but typical heights range from 28 to 48.

In some circles, a midget is the term used for a proportionate dwarf. However, the term has fallen into disfavor and is considered offensive by most people of short stature. The term dates back to 1865, the height of the freak show era, and was generally applied only to short-statured persons who were displayed for public amusement, which is why it is considered so unacceptable today.

Midget is on its way out

Midget has been met with criticism from organizations like the Little People of America .

LPA surveyed their community and 90% of members stated that the word midget should never be used in reference to a person with dwarfism.

Recommendations for using the term Midget and Dwarf

The LPA suggests you use:

• Dwarf or having dwarfism
• Little person or
• Person of short nature

But the LPA says that most people would rather be referred to by their name than by their label

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Politically Correct Term For Mental Illness

What is the politically correct term for mental illness? There are many different alternative terms to use when it comes to mental illness. Health Partners has an excellent detailed list of some of these more PC terms for mental illness, and also lists terms to avoid. Some examples:

• Dont use Mental Illness as an aggregate term

• Instead, use Mental illnesses or A mental illness

• Dont use Afflicted by mental illness, suffers from mental illness or is a victim of mental illness

• Instead, use Living with a mental illness

• Dont use Mentally ill person

• Instead use, Person with a mental illness

Another term related to mental illness is special needs. Special needs has been met with criticism from people with disabilities. What is the politically correct term for special needs? A person with a disability or disabled person is more politically correct. Special needs can make people feel excluded or belittled.

This article, 12 different ways to say disabled, has multiple comments surrounding the use of special needs, from both teachers and people with disabilities.

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