People First Language

It seems so simple. Think of the person, not the disability. Thinking of the person first will allow the disability awareness to come quite naturally.

The following information might help you. Below are two excerpts from Access and Opportunities: A Guide to Disability Awareness, a publication written and distributed by VSA arts.

Language shapes the way those around us speak and act toward one another and conveys the respect we
have for others. The use of appropriate language about people with disabilities can be an important tool in
building a community that accepts all people.

Suggestions to Improve Access and Positive Interactions

Please avoid euphemisms such as “physically-challenged,” or “differently-abled.” Many disability groups feel these phrases reinforce the idea that disabilities cannot be spoken of in an upfront and direct manner.

**Think of it this way: you wouldn’t call a friend with cancer “my cancerous friend,” so why would you call a friend who is Deaf, “my Deaf friend”?

Using terms such as “afflicted with,” “suffers from,” or “crippled with” sensationalizes the disability. These
expressions are considered inaccurate to people with disabilities.

When referring to people who use wheelchairs, avoid using terms such as “wheelchair bound” or “confined to a wheelchair.” Wheelchairs do not confine people with disabilities—they provide freedom of movement to assist them in traveling throughout the community.

Basic Guidelines for Disability Awareness
• Person with a disability;
• Person who is blind; person with a visual impairment
• Person who is Deaf; person who is hard of hearing
• Person with a mental illness
• Person with a developmental disability; person with mental retardation
• Person who uses a wheelchair
• Person with a physical disability; person with a mobility impairment