By Heidi Johnson-Wright
I’ve
never been a fan of terms like “handi-capable,” “differently-abled,”
and “special” when it comes to describing people with disabilities. They
come off as trivializing, and make it sound like folks can’t deal
honestly with their disabilities. I always imagine such terms were
coined by someone who has never lived with a disability and dots each
letter “i” with a tiny heart.
I
dislike the word “handicapped” but I’m cool with the word “disabled.”
And I’m a fan of people-first language. For those unfamiliar with the
term, PFL is a way of speaking and referring to people with disabilities
that respects them as human beings, rather than dehumanizes them. It
emphasizes the person first and the disability, second. A man with a
disability, not a disabled man. A woman who is blind, not a blind woman.
PFL
represents more respectful, accurate ways of communicating. People with
disabilities are not their diagnoses or disabilities; they are people,
first.
I
also cringe when I see disability stereotypes trotted out by the media.
You’ve probably seen them yourself. Putting the person with a
disability on a pedestal. Depicting a person with a disability as
dependent or as an object of pity. Representing the person as having
special talents or abilities because of his or her disability, i.e. the
blind person who’s musically gifted.
I
could live a long, happy life without ever again reading one more
tear-jerking human interest story about incurable diseases or severe
injuries. I’d like to see more stories that focus on issues of quality
of life for folks who are disabled. Issues such as accessible
transportation, housing, employment opportunities and social
interaction.
Disability
is a natural part of the human condition. The folks with disabilities
I’ve met (and myself, too) would rather be known for the things that
reflect on their character or their essence as human beings. They would
rather be known as a devoted parent or a successful attorney or an
amateur gourmet chef rather than as someone with a brace on their leg or
someone who wears hearing aids.
So,
please: no more heroic overachievers or long-suffering saints. No more
cutesy terms that set the teeth on edge. No more stigmatizing words that
leave a sting.
Just people – like everyone else.
http://earthboundtomboy.blogspot.com
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