Think About The Words You Use!
Scope suggest:
Avoid: The handicapped. Use instead: disabled people.
Avoid: Afflicted by, suffers from, victim of. Use instead: has (insert DisAbility)
Avoid: Confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair bound. Use instead: Wheelchair user.
Avoid: Mentally handicapped, retarded, subnormal. Use instead: Has a learning difficulty.
Avoid: Cripple, invalid. Use instead: disabled person.
Avoid: The disabled. Use instead: Disabled people.
Avoid: Spastic. Use instead: Person who has cerebral palsy.
Avoid: Able bodied. Use instead: Non-disabled.
I have to say I hate to be told that I suffer from CP. But feel free to say able bodied around me any time you like!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on these suggested politically correct words and phrases. Which do you agree with? Which do you disagree with? Can you think of any others to add to the list? Please let us know in the comments below.
I’m fine with the phrase able bodied. Non-disabled just sounds silly and a bit pretentious. Everything else I agree with.
Changing isn’t going to change people’s attitudes though to disability. In some ways things have gotten better, but in some ways things have gotten worse.