IN THE NEWS- DISABILITY OR DISABLED- WHICH TERM IS RIGHT?

Interesting piece from Disability World, about differences and similarities and disabled terminology, including the right terms to use.

A disability is defined as a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual or group. The term is used to refer to individual functioning, including physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment, mental illness, and various types of chronic illnesses.

Disability and Disabled are both words that generally describe functional limitations that affect one or more of the major life activities, including walking, lifting, learning, breathing, etc. Different laws define disability differently. "Disability" and 'Disabled" are terms that are undergoing change due to the disability rights movement both in the U.S. and U.K. To a lesser extent this is occurring worldwide.

To most people today the term "disabled" still means "unable to perform" this or that physical or mental function.

Beginning in the 1970s, people labeled as "disabled" ( Either because they fell under the Social Security definition or because  they had some sort of injury or condition considered a "disability") began seeking changes in society that would allow them to have a better life. Since the 1980s, this effort has generally been termed "disability rights" advocacy or "disability rights activism."The correct term is Disability Rights."

Calling a person disabled- not THE disabled but a disabled person is almost always considered correct.

Another term that grew in popularity during the first part of the 20th Century was "handicapped." The term comes from sports; handicapping means assigned some extra burden or weight.

 Back to the birth of today's disability rights movement: budding activists did not like having been "defined" by the social service system, basically rebelled against the term 'handicapped" simply because it had been assigned to them by others, and, in choosing a new term, chose "disabled."So, activists in the u.S. began using "disabled."

Then a movement came along to change the wording to "people first language"- so, it was argued, use the term "people with disabilities.' Britain's disability rights theorists and disability studies leaders reject that, and stick with 'disabled person." Currently in the U.S. activists seem divided.

Many people still use "handicapped" or "crippled" or "afflicted."

None of these terms is looked upon  by anyone in the U.S. or U.K. disability rights movement. "Handicapped" is truly detested in U.K. circles. Handicapped is offensive- it's a limiting term."Challenged" is just sugar coating, as is "impaired' or any other word that attempts to dance around the subject.

A physically disabled person is physically disabled. In this context, it is appropriate to use mobility impaired to signify the person's limitations.

There are some words, three especially, that have been rejected nearly universally- 'retardation" and any derivative like retard or retarded; "cripple' and  "spaz.'

In summary, the terms "Disabled" and "Disability" seem safe and appropriate- at least for now.