Watch your Language

Over a period of time I have become more and more aware of the importance of taking care with the language that we use, particularly in relation to disability, as a way of showing proper respect to people.

Some people will argue that this is simply being "politically correct" and that it is not something we need to worry about, but I think there are some simple principles that we shouldn't ignore.

Disability Services Commission in WA has an excellent document on its website entitled "Words that work - a guide for media". It's worth reading this to get a picture of how you can make some changes to your language that will show your level of respect for people with disabilities, and help to change stereotypes in our society. 

For instance by speaking about a person as disabled puts the focus on their disability, but to say they are a person with a disability puts the person first.

"Words that Work - a guide for media" provides some useful hints about words and phrases that shouldn't be used and suggestions about how to refer to disability in a way that is respectful:

Terms to avoid
• normal and/or abnormal
• victim of…, suffering from the tragedy of…, afflicted with…
• handicapped, retarded, spastic, mental, imbecile birth defect/deformity brave or special
• deaf mute, deaf and dumb or dumb
• physically challenged, differently abled and handi-capable
• deficient, people with deficits, slow or slow learner, mongoloid
• confined to, restricted to or bound by a wheelchair. Wheelchairs are liberating, providing mobility to a person who cannot walk. Never use crippled or physically challenged medical terms such as patient or invalid
• … has the mental age of a three-year-old (or any age); there is no such thing as a mental age

Say what?
Language is a powerful tool that can change stereotypes and attitudes. You can use it to make a positive difference for people with disability in our community.
• vision - use ‘person with a vision impairment’ for people who have partial sight, or ‘blind’ for people with no, or very limited sight hearing
• hearing - use ‘person who is hard of hearing’ for people with partial hearing and ‘person who is deaf’ for those people with profound to complete hearing loss
• physical - use ‘person who uses a wheelchair’ not ‘wheelchair user’. Refer to a ‘person with a physical disability’ or ‘mobility impairment’
• developmental - developmental disability refers to cognitive or physical disabilities that occur during the early years before the age of 18. Refer to a ‘person or child with a developmental disability’, or where appropriate refer to the condition eg ‘person with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, or spina bifida’
• congenital - say ‘person with a disability since birth’; ‘person with a congenital disability’


Let's be advocates for people with disabilities by showing respect in the way we speak.