Language changes over time. Words and phrases come into fashion, and we attach our own meanings to them. A classic example from the disability community is the word, “retarded” (also known as “the r-word”). Last century, “mentally retarded” was a diagnostic term. Doctors, psychologists, educators, and law makers used this term to describe people with an intellectual disability (generally with an IQ of less than 70). Influenced by ableism, “retarded” has increasingly been used as an insult (see “The Effects of the R-Word“). After massive push back from the disability community, the r-word was finally retired in 2010 with the signing of Rosa’s Law.
While providing a complete list of the words and phrases is beyond the scope of this project, this page includes some of the more common examples. In addition to this site, the Disability Language Style Guide from the National Center on Disability and Journalism and the style guide for the American Psychiatric Association are useful. Lydia X. Z. Brown also maintains an extensive list on their blog, Autistic Hoya.
NOTE: It is important to ask people with disabilities about their preferences when it comes to language. For example, some people prefer person-first language (person with Down syndrome) while others prefer identity-first language (Autistic).
General
| Say This | Not This |
|---|---|
| Person with a disability Disabled Has a disability Is disabled | Suffers from Afflicted by Victim of See also, euphemisms |
| Is able to… Is unable to… Needs support to… | High functioning Low functioning See also, functioning labels |
Physical Disabilities
| Say This | Not This |
|---|---|
| Uses a wheelchair Uses a mobility device (cane, walker, etc.) | Wheelchair-bound Confined to a wheelchair |
| Person with a physical disability Physically disabled Person with [specific diagnosis] | Cripple / crippled by… Invalid Lame Spaz |
Intellectual & Neurological Disabilities
| Say This | Not This |
|---|---|
| Person with an intellectual/cognitive disability Intellectually/cognitively disabled person Person with a learning disability Learning disabled person Person with [specific diagnosis] | Mentally challenged Mentally handicapped Mentally retarded Slow Stupid |
| Autistic Neurodivergent Person with autism |
Mental Health
| Say This | Not This |
|---|---|
| Person with a mental health diagnosis/disability Person with a psychiatric diagnosis/disability Person with [specific diagnosis] | Bonkers Crazy Loony Manic Psycho/psychotic |
Sensory Disabilities
| Say This | Not This |
|---|---|
| Deaf person Deaf-Blind person Person who is hard of hearing | Hearing impaired person Person who is hearing impaired Person with hearing loss Person with deafness (and blindness) |
| Blind person Person who is blind Person with limited/low vision | Visually impaired Visually challenged Sight challenged Person with blindness |
People without Disabilities
| Say This | Not This |
|---|---|
| Nondisabled Person without a disability Neurotypical | Normal Regular |
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Overthrowing Ableism 