Respectful language
Lesson 1 of 9 · about 8 minutes
Language shapes attitudes
The words we use show what we believe. Language that pities, praises too much or defines people only by impairment reinforces barriers. Respectful language treats people with disabilities as equal members of society with rights.
Follow people's own choices
Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in each country, and individuals, have preferences. Ask, and follow them. In international development, "persons with disabilities" is widely used because it is the language of the UN Convention. Some communities prefer identity-first language, such as "Deaf people" or "autistic people". Both can be respectful.
Words to avoid and alternatives
| Avoid | Use instead |
|---|---|
| the disabled, the blind | people with disabilities, blind people |
| suffers from, afflicted by, victim of | has, lives with, or simply name the impairment |
| wheelchair-bound, confined to a wheelchair | wheelchair user |
| normal people | people without disabilities |
| handicapped, crippled, retarded | person with a physical disability, person with an intellectual disability |
| deaf and dumb | Deaf, or deaf person; sign language user |
| special needs | access needs, support needs, or name the support |
Talk about barriers
Disability comes from the interaction between a person's impairment and barriers in society: steps without ramps, information without captions, attitudes that exclude. Focus on the barriers and how to remove them. "The meeting was inaccessible to wheelchair users" is more accurate than "wheelchair users could not attend".
When you get it wrong
Everyone makes mistakes. If someone corrects you, thank them, use their preferred words and move on.