I disagree - words can hurt, maybe even more than sticks and stones.
Words and the way they are used have the power to denigrate or enhance
the status of a group within a society. It has been true with national
origins, with races, and with genders, and it is true with disabilities
as well.
The difference between the right word and the nearly right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.
Mark Twain
Language doesn't stop at hurt feelings; it can also promote and
strengthen stereotypes, effectively segregating a group from the
whole.Media language and public attitudes are intrinsically intertwined
. As one evolves, so does the other.
After the
ADA (Americans with Disability Act) took effect,
The Associated Press published
Beyond the AP Stylebook
as a guide for reporters when broadcasting and writing about
disability. This is a really interesting paper to read, even for people
not involved in reporting.
The stylebook reminds us not to use
clichés and to remain value-neutral. Be careful with adjectives -- it's
"the disability movement" rather than "the disabled movement." The
guideline doesn't stop there. It addresses one of my pet peeves --
claiming an achievement
despite a handicap. If a person
accomplishes a goal, it is not despite the disability, it is because
that person worked toward the goal and was successful.
Disability
is natural. We must stop believing that disabilities keep a person from
doing something. Because that's not true . . . Having a disability
doesn't stop me from doing anything.
Benjamin Snow, Grade 8, Woodland Park, Colorado, in an essay entitled "Attitudes About People with Disabilities" (Jan 19)
Resources for Disabled Students at
Colorado State University published a guideline,
Unhandicap Your Language.
This paper gives terms that are less appropriate and others that are
more appropriate. It suggests we consciously think about what we say in
order "to more positively reshape how we communicate about disability
in society." This short paper reminds us that disability refers to a
functional limitation and not the inability to contribute. I like their
gentle approach.
It is my opinion that the guideline for any
person talking about another person or group is always the same. If a
non-disabled person speaks about a person with a disability, or if a
person with a disability speaks about a non-disabled person, the
guideline is mutual respect -- treat the other as you would like be
treated.
A personal
offense is like a scratch on a phonograph record. I couldn't move my
thoughts beyond my pain. It kept repeating, as if I were stuck within
its grooves. There was only one way to play beyond it. I had to forgive
them, so my heart could take its form again.
Laurel Lee, author
I
know I cannot possibly educate the world to use a term I choose. It
would be nice if everybody talked about everybody else in friendly,
positive terms, but it is just not going to happen. All people with
disabilities are not going to agree on all the terms to use. We can,
however, accept that we
will hear the "incorrect" term from
time to time. At best, we can all learn to be patient and work to
improve our language and understanding. Hopefully, compassion in
language and attitudes for the disabled will continue to evolve along
with accessibility and opportunity.
Then we can decide how to refer to people who are not disabled.
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