The Inclusive Language Project: Ableism

What we communicate has power.

Sometimes described as the "silent D in diversity," individuals with disabilities are one of themost varied populations on Earth. According to the CDC , 61 million adults living in theUnited States identify as having some type of disability. That's 26% of the overallpopulation or 1 in 4 American adults! Disabilities touch every community: every race,gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic situation. And advocating for accessibility is foreveryone. There are many things to learn (and unlearn!) about folx with disabilities andcuriosity is a good place to start!Ableism is a set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people withphysical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities and often rests on the assumption that folxwith disabilities need to be ‘fixed’ in one form or the other. Ableism is intertwined in ourculture whether we consciously know it or not and can be found in many different places.

our environment:

Such as public transportation with no ramps or doors that are too narrow for a wheelchair or scooter; broken or non-existent elevators or stair alternatives in buildings; and/or no signs or navigational aids for folx with low vision

our legislation:

Such as limits on income and assets for folx who receive Disability benefits; the fact it is legal to pay workers with disabilities less than minimum wage; there is oftentimes no legal recourse for negligence of the ADA

and mostly our language.

crippled by indecision

insane

crazy

she's so OCD

wheelchair-bound

handi-capable

normal

blind as a bat

psychotic

brain damaged

falling on deaf ears

lame

imbecile

dumb

The disability metaphors and euphemisms like these and many others abound in English and almost always have a negative, disparaging connotation even if it's unintentional. These linguistic microaggressions are frequently used in slang terms we're repeating just because we've heard them before and not truly thinking about the words we're using.

There are several ways that we can challenge our own ableism. It always starts with education and expanding our knowledge of disability culture. We can examine our own go-to phrases that are problematic and think about what we really mean when we use them.

You may have said...

He's so stupid!

That's psycho!

She's confined to a wheelchair.

when you really meant...

He's so frustrating!

That's shocking!

She's a person who uses a wheelchair.

Remember, we're not bad people or bad advocates if we've used these phrases in the past. Now that we have the knowledge and ability to change our use of this type of language, we can make our society a better place for all folx with disabilities.

Tips for Change

PICK 1 HABIT TO CHANGE RIGHT NOW

AMPLIFY & SUPPORT FOLX WITH DISABILITIES

MAKE SURE EVERYTHING YOU CREATE IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

MAKE AN INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE GUIDE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION OR GROUP

NEVER JUDGE A DISABILITY BY ITS VISIBILITY

Inclusive Language 101

Identify your own biases - Notice your language habits (internal)

Self-Identification - Listen to how folx self-identify and mirror it back to them (external)

Be person-centered - Eliminate disempowering language

Context matters - Pay attention to cues in the environment in which you're communicating

Be flexible - Language is dynamic, always changing and adapting

Name the oppression - Be aware of the historical, structural, and systemic impacts on a person's identity like how some minoritized groups are referred to by names they did not choose themselves

Impact > Intent - Mistakes will happen. If harm results from something you communicate, apologize, commit to doing and being better, and make a change in your habits

The Disability Pride flag was created by Ann Magill, a disabled artist. Here is a breakdown of its elements: The Black Field: A color of mourning; for those who have suffered from Ableist violence, and also rebellion and protest. The Zigzag/Lightning Bolt: How disabled people navigate barriers and the creativity in doing so; breaking free from normative authority and body control The Five Colors: The variety of needs and experiences (Mental Illness; Intellectual and Developmental Disability; Invisible and Undiagnosed Disabilities; Physical Disability; and Sensory Disabilities) The Parallel Stripes: Solidarity within the Disability Community and all its differences.