If you thought you knew everything there is to know to communicate to, or about the disabled, think again.
The rules of disability-inclusive language are changing, members of Sault Ste. Marie's accessibility advisory committee learned this past week.
Diane Morrell, the city's accessibility coordinator, brought a new list of language guidelines to the committee's monthly meeting on Wednesday.
These guidelines were prepared by the United Nations Office at Geneva as part of efforts to implement the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy.
"Words matter," Morrell said, quoting from a U.N. report.
"Undeniably, the language that we use to refer to persons with disabilities has an impact, as it shapes our perception of the world. This language has evolved over time, and terms that were commonly used some years ago are no longer acceptable."
Morrell will be passing on the latest advice to other city departments.
The recommendations include the following:
Avoid saying:
disabled person, handicapped, person with special needs, handicapable, atypical, person living with a disability, differently abled, people of all abilities, people of determination, person living with a disability
Recommended language:
person with disability, person with [type of impairment], persons with disabilities, people with disabilities (only in Easy Read documents, informal text and oral speech)
Avoid saying:
normal, healthy, able-bodied, typical, whole, of sound body/mind
Recommended language:
person without disability, the rest of the population
Avoid saying:
suffer from, afflicted by, stricken by, troubled with
Recommended language:
have [disability/impairment/condition]
Avoid saying:
retarded, simple, slow, afflicted, brain- damaged, intellectually challenged, subnormal, of unsound mind, feeble-minded, mentally handicapped
Recommended language:
person with an intellectual disability, person with an intellectual impairment
Avoid saying:
insane, crazy, maniac, psycho, hypersensitive, lunatic, demented, panicked, agitated, mentally deranged, mentally ill
Recommended language:
person with a psychosocial disability
Avoid saying:
the deaf, hearing impaired, deaf and dumb, deaf and mute
Recommended language:
deaf person, person who is deaf, person with a hearing disability, person with a hearing impairment, person with hearing loss, hard-of-hearing person, deafblind person
Avoid saying:
the blind, partially-sighted
Recommended language:
blind person, person who is blind, person with a vision/visual disability, person with a vision/visual impairment, person with low vision, deafblind person
Avoid saying:
crippled, invalid, deformed, lame, handicapped, physically challenged, person with physical limitations, limp
Recommended language:
person with a physical disability, person with a physical impairment
Avoid saying:
confined/restricted to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound
Recommended language:
wheelchair user, person who uses a wheelchair, person with a mobility disability, person with a mobility impairment, person using a mobility device
Avoid saying:
midget, dwarf, stunted
Recommended language:
person of short stature, little person, person with achondroplasia (only if the person has this condition)
Avoid saying:
mongoloid, special person, Down
Recommended language:
person with Down syndrome, person with trisomy-21
Avoid saying:
albino
Recommended language:
person with albinism
Avoid saying:
leper, leprosy patient
Recommended language:
person affected by leprosy
Avoid saying:
non-verbal, can’t talk
Recommended language:
person who uses a communication device, person who uses an alternative method of communication
Avoid saying:
disabled/handicapped parking, handicapped bathroom
Recommended language:
accessible parking, parking reserved for persons with disabilities, accessible bathroom
Morrell said some unacceptable phrases are still used to refer to persons with disabilities.
"Some of them are still around, and I find in my own personal experience, it's generally some of the older generations where that was the language."
"A lot of that comes from the intent when you're speaking about people with disabilities."
"So you may hear inappropriate words occasionally, but the intent behind it means much, if not more than the words."
"So as long as you're speaking about people with disabilities in positive language, that goes an awfully long way," Morrell said.
Some other advice from the U.N. report:
People-first language is the most widely accepted language for referring to persons with disabilities. It is also the language used in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
People-first language emphasizes the person, not the disability, by placing a reference to the person or group before the reference to the disability.
For example, we can use expressions such as “children with albinism," "students with dyslexia," "women with intellectual disabilities” and, of course, “persons with disabilities,"
However, the people-first rule does not necessarily apply to all types of disabilities. There are some exceptions.
For example, when referring to persons who are blind, we can say either “blind persons” or “persons who are blind " and the same applies to deaf or deafblind persons.
If in doubt, you should ask the person or group how they choose to identify. Indeed, persons with disabilities are not a homogeneous group, and they may self-identify in various ways. These identities should be respected and recognized.
However, as this rich diversity of identities may hinder efforts to establish unified terminology, these guidelines recommend terminology that is commonly used and accepted.
Some expressions have gained popularity over time as alternatives to inappropriate terms. However, many of them reflect the misguided idea that disability needs to be softened.
We should therefore not use terms such as “differently abled," “people of all abilities," “disAbility” or “people of determination," as they are all euphemistic and can be considered patronizing or offensive.
For example, “differently abled” is problematic because, as some advocates note, we are all differently abled.
Euphemisms are, in fact, a denial of reality and a way to avoid talking about disabilities. “Persons with disabilities” is a more neutral term than “differently abled”.
The term “special” used in relation to persons with disabilities is commonly rejected, as it is considered offensive and condescending because it euphemistically stigmatizes that which is different.
This term should not be used to describe persons with disabilities, including in expressions such as “special needs” or “special assistance”.
We recommend more neutral or positive language when possible, such as “tailored assistance." The expression “special education” is also widely used to refer to school programs, but this term carries negative connotations since it usually refers to segregated education.