There is a push among the disabled to use “People First Language”. Simply put people are not defined by their disability or ability; they are defined as people first.
An example would be using the phrase John has autism rather than John is autistic. You see John is not defined by his autism; he is a person who happens to have autism. John is not autistic, John is John.
You should not say Sally is wheelchair bound. Rather Sally uses a wheelchair.
I know there are many who will say this is simply political correctness and does not impact or really affect people. I would guess that those who take that position are not on the receiving end of these statements.
Words matter. They define who we are. They stay with us long after they are spoken.
If we being to speak as if the person with a disability is a person first, eventually we will see them as a person first. We will see beyond the disability, we will see beyond the wheelchair or cane and see the person.
They and only then will people with disabilities begin to gain respect and equity in our society. After all that is what they want, respect and equity.
Remember the squeaky wheelchair attracts attention.
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