How to Use Disability Inclusive Language Guide
I created this blog post to educate people about being aware of the language that they use and how to use disability inclusive language. When encountering any individuals, it is common for people to assume what their abilities are and are not based on their appearance and other limited observations that are only snapshots; Not all disabilities are obvious though while some disabilities are more visible. All because a person does not appear to have obvious disabilities does not guarantee whether they are in the disability community or not. A person could have invisible disabilities, which have subtle characteristics. When speaking about people in the disability community, it is common for people to assume which language is okay or not okay to use to describe them or that all people in the disability community prefer the same disability language––"disabled", "person with disabilities", "differently-abled", or believing that "disability is a bad word"; however, these associations are not always accurate or helpful. None of these assumptions are always correct and making assumptions (even if correct) sends a potentially harmful message: that people need to look a certain way or have certain beliefs to be in the disability community at all. The belief that disability is a "bad word" is also a myth. Using language that someone personally identifies with is a way to show respect for them as an individual and create an inclusive environment just like using a person's name is another way to show them respect. This guide is meant to provide you with prompts and replacement language to advise you about how to avoid assumptions in your language regarding stereotypical identities of people in the disability community. Although it might not be your intention to harm, using language that assumes whether a person is in the disability community or not and how people in the disability community identify can cause harm as can using language that erases intersectionality among disabilities, invisible disabilities, and implying that there is only one way to identify or that only certain identities are acceptable.
What is people first language (PFL)?
People-first language (PFL) recognizes individuals in the disability community as people first before their disability. It emphasizes that disability is only one part of who they are as a whole person.
Examples of what this looks like:
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What is identity-first language (IFL)?
Identity-first language (IFL) places the disability characteristic first when referring to an individual in the disability community. IFL highlights a disability's significance in the individual's life.
Examples of what this looks like:
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What is neutrally inclusive language?
Neutrally inclusive language recognizes all individuals in this minority group as a whole. Neutrally inclusive language is open minded and can be used when someone is speaking to a group without assuming who identifies how and singling anyone in certain diverse groups out. It is also another way of emphasizing that disability is not the only part of a person. Instead of calling upon or remarking about a person in this diverse group who has not disclosed how they identify, you could say any of the following examples below as neutrally inclusive language.
Examples of what this looks like:
- "People/Person in the disability community" - This is what I usually use when talking and writing about this minority group as a whole. This is usually acceptable to use when people do not yet know if a person goes by PFL or IFL or has a visible unspecified disability or disabilities.
- "Differently abled"
- "Learning differences" - Commonly preferred by not all but many of my peers who were in Learning Support during my childhood
- "Sensory differences"
Who Identifies How Explained
The majority of the disability community mostly identifies as "disabled" and with other IFL. To elaborate, IFL is preferred by most autistic, deaf, and blind people. In fact, 91% of surveyed autistic individuals said that they prefer "autistic" (IFL) over "person with autism" (PFL). Not all but most people in the disability community identify with IFL because they consider their disabilities to be an important part of their identity and life while not the only part. Furthermore, most individuals in the intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) community identify with PFL.
FYI, however, "most" and "majority" does not mean all. This does not mean that every person in this minority group identifies with IFL or PFL. There are plenty of individuals who identify as "person with autism/ASD", "person on the autism spectrum", or "person in the autism/ASD community" instead of "autistic." There are also plenty of people who identify as "person with a disability/disabilities" instead of "disabled." Identifying with PFL is not because they do not accept themselves. Not all but some people who identify with PFL usually identify this way because they want to be seen as a person first. In fact, people who were not born disabled and became disabled later in life tend to prefer PFL "because they want to still be seen as who they are before they were disabled" (The Disability Union 2020). PFL or IFL may also be the terminology that was used when they were originally diagnosed. So, that became what they are used to and what they are comfortable with identifying as. Identities can develop through individual personal experiences as well. In addition, some people identify with both PFL and IFL, all three types, or do not have a preference.
The Truth About Which Language to Use
There is no "correct" or "wrong" way to identify. The specific language to use depends on each individual's preference. When encountering any individuals in the disability community, it is culturally sensitive to use whichever language that each individual identifies with according to what makes them feel comfortable. To quote NeuroDifferent, "in those cases, they should be respected for that, as it ultimately comes down to what the individual believes suits them best" (NeuroDifferent 2020). So, if someone says about themselves, "I am autistic/disabled", "I am a person with autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)/a disability/disabilities", "I am on the autism spectrum", "I am differently abled", etc., show respect by using that language that they said that they identify with as an individual when talking to them and about their disability/disabilities. Usually when individuals in the disability community have no preference, that means that it is okay to use either PFL, IFL, or neutrally inclusive language. Treat everyone in and outside of the disability community as individuals and not all exactly the same. Recognize a balance between their individual differences and similarities. If you are not sure how a person identifies, ask! This would be greatly appreciated by many of us who wish more people asked what our preferences are as long as you commit to using the language that they individually identify with. Also, all because you have never met or heard of anyone identifying a certain way does not mean that that identity is nonexistent. Every person identifies differently and all identities matter.
In addition, all because a person has never told you that they are in the disability community, their disabilities are not obvious, or how they identify does not guarantee whether they are in the disability community or not and what their identity is. Every person identifies differently and all identities matter. Anyone has the right to identify in any way that makes them feel comfortable. Let people choose the symbol and language that they identify with without judging them for it. It is just like when it comes to avoiding assumptions about people's pronouns, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
It is important to never tell anyone that there is a "wrong" or "right way" to identify, "wrong" or "right symbols" to identify with, or force any identities. Doing so is harmful, offensive, close-minded, non-inclusive and can be prejudice, very hurtful, and cause trauma because it ignores, dismisses, and treats people's identities as unworthy of existence, importance, acceptance, and respect. It is also harassment and impolite to force anyone to identify a certain way against their will if that is not how a person wants to be known. All identities are valid because people should be accepted for who they are instead of being expected to conform to identifying the same as the majority of other people and what other people believe that they should identify as. Expecting people to conform to the same identity as other people is not letting people be themselves. Let everyone be themselves because that is what makes them unique. While everyone has similarities, not everyone is completely the same. Everyone is different in their own unique ways. That is what makes the world go round🌍
Related Links:
What if someone makes a mistake by using language that does not match a person's identity?
Literally no one is perfect nor needs to be, which deserves to be normalized. In fact, perfection is impossible in general. Therefore, everyone makes mistakes. Below are a few scenario examples of ways that people might correct themselves or politely speak up if someone makes a mistake. Please note that these examples focus on times when mistakes are made because of forgetfulness, ignorance, or innocent lack of awareness. Different approaches may be necessary when people use language that does not match a person's identity, especially when they are being intentionally and carelessly hateful.
If you just recently made a mistake:
Example 1: You are talking to someone who goes by "person on the autism spectrum." "As an autistic person, you take things literally. Excuse me, I meant to say 'person on the autism spectrum.' I understand that taking things literally affects your communication skills and I will do anything that I can to support you." It is not necessary to make a bigger deal than necessary about your mistake or draw a lot of attention to it. You mostly need to just fix it. Depending on the situation you might be concerned that people think that you are not a true disability advocate because you made a mistake; however, taking accountability by correcting yourself, putting in effort to get it right in the future, and acting upon some of the other guidances mentioned in this blog post or other resources is being a true disability advocate.
If you realize that you have been referring to someone with either assumed language about their identity that might not match how they identity:
Example 2: You have a family member whose learning disability you have always called "learning differences" because you always thought that you should avoid the phrase "learning disabled" or "learning disability" because their disability is not all that they are. You never had a reason to think anything was wrong with doing this; however, since you recently learning that making assumptions about people's identities can be offensive, you realize you might want to ask people who have open about their disabilities towards you. "Hi, Anna. How are you? Recently, I was learning about disability inclusive language and how everyone in the disability community identifies with different language when it comes to their disabilities. It helps to create a safe environment where other people can feel comfortable to tell me anything that they want to share about their disabilities because some people in the disability community are not comfortable with the way that other people treat them all because they know about their disabilities. I know that we are family, and I've always used "learning differences" instead of "learning disability" to refer to your disability and I realized that I should avoid making assumptions. Is "learning differences" okay or should I be using other language to refer to your disability?"
Example 3: You are facilitating a conversation with your Special Education students. "Hello everyone. I know that in some of our past classes we have shared our names and backgrounds. We have also discussed why differences and disability pride matters. Even though we all know each other already, I thought that it would be a good opportunity for you to share with anyone who you feel comfortable telling and I how you identify when it comes to being a person in the disability community to remind ourselves that everyone identifies differently, avoid making assumptions about people, get it right, and make this an inclusive, safe space. Feel free to write it down or share verbally –– whichever you prefer."
If someone else makes what you believe was a mistake:
Example 4: You are talking with a co-teacher who is new to a student named Isaiah's Individual Education Program (IEP) team. Isaiah identifies as "disabled" instead of "person with disabilities." "As a person with disabilities, Isaiah has been through a lot of ups and downs this school year." Someone might respond: "Tell me more about Isaiah's background as a person in the disability community." This gentle neutral language in your reply could be better than saying, "Isaiah actually goes by Identity-First Language" for several reasons––Isaiah might not have discussed their identity with the new person (at least yet) and/or the person might feel put into a corner or not know much about IFL and PFL. Depending on the relationship that you have with the person who you are talking to, there could be an educational conversation. Isaiah might also be particular about who they open up about their identity to. Some people in the disability community consistently PFL, IFL, or neutrally inclusive language in all contexts or only tell that to certain people for personal reasons. In addition, if the person in the disability community is open about their identity to everyone, sometimes simply responding to conversations using what you understand be the language that correctly matches the individual's identity can be more helpful than other approaches. In this scenario, this may look like: "Tell me more about Isaiah's background as a disabled person." Of course, if the person has told you that they want you to actively gently correct other people, go for the educational approach!
Example 5: You are hosting a session for new students in the disability community at college orientation. All of these students are just meeting for the first time and appear to be friendly and true diversity and inclusion advocates. You led a brief discussion about PFL, IFL, and neutrally inclusive language and included showing respect for everyone's identities in this discussion. After you shared information about what this looks like, you encouraged people to share their names and how they identify when it comes to disabilities if they wanted to. Later on in this session, an alumnus in the disability community motivational speaks about her college journey. After her speech is over, a participant says, "Thank you for sharing your story as a Down Syndrome person. It gave me hope"; however, the alumnus being referred to as "Down Syndrome person" actually had said earlier that they go by "person with Down Syndrome" and PFL. While there are many different ways to respond to this, one might be making a generalized statement to everyone in the room: "Ellie mentioned earlier that she goes by 'person with Down Syndrome' and Person-First Language. I know that these concepts about Person-First Language, Identity-First Language, and neutrally inclusive language may be new for many people, or it is easy to forget them and revert to the assumptions that we have been programmed to make; however, it is important that we work on this to get it right for individuals in the disability community just like we would want to make sure that we call people by the right names. I am willing to chat with anyone during the break who is not sure how to do this, what it means, or anyone who simply wants to practice. I can also give out a resource guide. Thanks for your kind words about Ellie's speech, Darius. It was very powerful."
How do I share which language I identify with?
All people no matter what their disability is can choose to identify with whichever language they are most comfortable with. There are various types of disability inclusive language that people in the disability community use to describe themselves. There is no singular way to be a person in the disability community, identify, and open up about identities. In fact, disability is the largest minority group that anyone can join at any time by clinical diagnosis or self-diagnosis. An effective way to create and normalize a safe space for people in the disability community to share whichever language they identify with is to share first how you identify if you are in the disability community. For example, you can do this by saying something like this: "Hi, my name is John, and I am disabled. That is how I identify and however you identify is fine too." or "Hi, my name is Sarah, and I prefer people first language as a person with disabilities. That is how I identify and however you identify is fine too." The last part of these statements assertively sets the boundary about how oneself identifies while also reassuring other people in the disability community that all identities matter and they do not need to conform. Opening up about disabilities is also a great way to create a safe, inclusive space for people in the disability community to be open about their disabilities after all of the prejudice that they experience and disrupt the normalization of assumptions about stereotypes.
When you share how you identify, you may get questions about what this means, why you identify as such, why you are sharing how you identify, or why you are opening up about your disabilities at all. It may be helpful to review the other sections of this guide to gain more comfortability with explaining the purpose of disability inclusive language, different identities, opening up about identities, and showing respect for different identities.
Related Links:
How do I ask someone in the disability community how they identify?
First, make sure that the person has opened up to YOU about being in the disability community before you ask them about their disabilities and how they identify. To reiterate, ADA gives all people in the disability community in the United States the legal right to choose whether they want to open up about their disability or disabilities or not in all settings. Not following any laws is a careless act and can result in lawsuits, which can lead to potentially serious and severe legal consequences. Secondly, make sure that you know about the different types of disability inclusive language and how to use disability inclusive language correctly before asking people who have opened up to you about their disabilities and how they identify.
If you are meeting someone new at an event or social activity, club, or group for people in the disability community:
Example 6: "Hi, I'm Mason, and I am on the autism spectrum. That is how I identify and however you identify is fine too. How should I refer to you?"
Avoid forcing people in the disability community to open up about their disabilities and how they identify.
People in the disability community should only be invited or encouraged to open up about their disabilities and how they identify––never forced. That is what I mean by "asking"––it is an encouraged invitation.
In a group setting for people in the disability community where you are a leader, here is one example of how you could conduct a round of introductions:
Example 7: "Welcome to our meeting. Before we begin, I would like to go around and have everyone share how they identify as people in the disability community. For those who have not done this before, this is a way that we can avoid assumptions, specifically about disability stereotypes and identities. What may seem obvious may actually be incorrect since not all disabilities and identities are obvious or opened up and please keep in mind that while many people in the disability community identify as "autistic", "disabled", or other forms of Identity First Language, this is not always the case for every single person in the disability community. There are certain ways of language that people in the disability community are typically referred to; however, every disability journey is different and everyone identifies differently. I am not asking you to share anything that you do not want to share about your disabilities or private information. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act also known as ADA, all people in the disability community in the United States have the legal right to choose who to open up and not open up to about their disabilities. I am only asking which language that you identify with as a person in the disability community if you want to be open about it to make this a safe, inclusive space. If you do not understand what I am asking, would rather keep your identity to yourself, still figuring out how you identify, or unable to participate in a respectful way, it is okay to just say pass and move forward; however, if you feel comfortable opening up, let us know. You can refer to the resource guide that I gave out in the beginning of this meeting. Please also keep in mind that anything that people open up about in this room today is just what people are opening up about today in this space and time, and that people change in many different ways. Does anyone have any questions before we begin?"
Keep in mind that while opening up about disabilities can be a great idea, especially to express disability pride, it is not required. Sense of community is a privilege and people in the disability community may be particular about who they open up to about their disabilities if they lack access to a sense of community. In fact, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives all people in the disability community in the United States the legal right to choose whether they want to open up about their disability or disabilities or not in all settings. This is the LAW and a BOUNDARY. Not following any laws is a careless act and can result in lawsuits, which can lead to potentially serious and severe legal consequences, even if you do not agree with the law. It is also a violation of boundaries even if you do not agree. Following laws is never a choice. ADA is another reason why no one should ever assume who is and is not in the disability community since not everyone in the disability community is open about their disabilities nor are all disabilities obvious and this legal right as part of the ADA means that anyone in the disability community could be choosing not to disclose their disabilities at any time in any setting and certain people including yourself and ourselves just do not know it about certain individuals. There is also a privilege of appearing in a way that fits both a disability and the characteristics that many people associate with that disability or disabilities in general. When people experience prejudice against being in the disability community or are constantly told, "But you don't look disabled," (also prejudice) this is a lack of a sense of community that can make people in the disability community feel uncomfortable and unsafe to open up. Prejudice does not provide a safe, inclusive space for people of all differences.
What do I do if I encounter someone in or outside of the disability community who is not familiar with disability inclusive language?
Of course, in case, be prepared to kindly educate them before jumping to criticism or assumptions about ignorance. While ignorance is out there, some people are just innocently unaware because no one knows everything about everything nor perfect and willing to continuously learn. Be prepared to explain that unfortunately people often make assumptions about how people in the disability community identify when it comes to describing them based on stereotypes and that the only way to know how individuals in the disability community identify is to ask how they identify. They will most likely appreciate this consideration and respect. Usually educating further about specific stereotypes regarding certain disability related identities helps to indicate to the other person what the typical biased assumption is.
Small changes in language can make a huge difference in people's lives. As the saying goes, "Enjoy the little things. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things." Never assume who is and is not in the disability community, who does and does not have certain disabilities, and how people identify. Every disability journey is different, and disabilities are not always obvious or opened up about. You never know for sure about the full background of who you are talking to or about nor who is listening and watching and how strongly your actions and words will impact other people. Actions and words are powerful, and people internalize stuff even when it is harmful to do so. This is an unfortunate part of reality that needs to be recognized. Everyone is going through something that no knows anything about. So always be kind.
You might gain a better understanding about sense of identity, inclusion, and intersectionality by reading the following blog posts that I have written:
- All Identities Matter Equally
- What it Takes to be a True Disability Advocate Explained
- Let's Talk About Gender Discrimination
- Your disability journey is still valid even if...
- The ableist statement that I can't stand the most
- What Disability Pride Means to Self-Advocates
- The Importance of Showing Respect for Other People While Advocating for Your Own Respect
- Down Syndrome Awareness Week 2024: The Importance of Treating Everyone with Respect
- Bullying Prevention Stimulation Activities for People of All Ages
- Discrimination Against Students in the Disability Community
- Lack of Empathy for Students is a Huge Issue in the Education Field
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