Words Matter: Guidelines for Inclusive Language on Disability
Content authors need an array of skills when writing content. They’ll need to consider:
- If the content is aligned with the brand guidelines?
- Does it make sense?
- Is the main message getting across?
- Is the grammar, spelling and punctuation up to scratch?
- Will people read it?
- Does it contain anything offensive?
I am sure there will be other points of consideration, but the final point is the main topic of this article.
Key words and their meaning
As we are talking about the language of disability, there are two key words we need to understand:
- Disability — a limitation of a person's ability to participate fully in society or achieve their potential.
- Impairment — a physical or mental condition that limits a person's abilities or functions.
They seem harmless, but be careful as the misuse of these words can cause offence.
General guidelines for inclusive language about disability
It is important to note that not everyone will agree with everything you say. It is easy to offend, but there are some ‘common sense’ rules that I think we can all agree on.
- Avoid using 'the disabled' as a collective term. Instead, refer to 'disabled people' to emphasise that they are individuals with unique experiences.
- Instead of using medical labels, focus on describing the specific challenges or needs of individuals with disabilities. Avoid perpetuating stereotypes that reduce disabled people to their medical conditions.
- Many deaf individuals whose first language is British Sign Language identify with the Deaf community. They may use the capitalised term 'Deaf' to highlight their deaf identity.
- Instead of using phrases like 'suffers from,' focus on describing the specific challenges or limitations faced by individuals with disabilities.
- Avoid using phrases that associate impairments with negative concepts or experiences. For example, instead of 'deaf to our pleas,' consider using a more neutral phrase like 'unresponsive to our requests.'
Table of inclusive terms relating to disability
To make life easier for you, here are some worlds to avoid and the appropriate alternatives.
| Avoid | Use |
| (the) handicapped, (the) disabled | Say "people with disability"; "the disability community" |
| afflicted by, suffers from, victim of (most people with disability don't see themselves as afflicted) | Say “the person has [name of condition or impairment]” |
| confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound (a wheelchair provides mobility not restriction) | Say "uses a wheelchair" or "wheelchair user" |
| mentally handicapped, mentally defective, mentally retarded, subnormal | Say “with a learning disability” (singular) or “with learning disabilities” (plural) |
| cripple, invalid | Say “person with disability” or “disabled person” |
| spastic (a derogatory term that usually refers to a person with cerebral palsy or who has uncontrollable spasms) | Say “person with cerebral palsy” or “person with disability” |
| able-bodied, normal | Say “non-disabled” |
| mental patient, insane, mad | Say “person with a mental health condition” |
| deaf and dumb; deaf mute | Say “deaf”, “user of British Sign Language” (BSL) or “person with a hearing impairment” |
| the blind, visually impaired | Say “people with visual impairments”, “ blind people” or “blind and partially sighted people” |
| an epileptic, diabetic, depressive, and so on | Say “person with epilepsy, diabetes, depression” or “someone who has epilepsy, diabetes, depression” |
| dwarf; midget | Say “someone with restricted growth” or “short stature” |
| fits, spells, attacks | Say “seizures” |
Data sourced from Gov.uk
What is the difference between deaf and Deaf?
You may have noticed that there are two different ways to describe a person with a hearing impairment. It is not a typing error, but an important distinction.
Deaf with a capital D refers to people who have been deaf all their lives and they tend to communicate in sign language as their first language.
The word deaf (lowercase d) is used to describe anyone who does not hear very much and who were not born with their hearing impairment.
Now you know.
Thinking beyond disabilities
Language is powerful. It can be used to seduce, coerce, insult, express emotion, enrage, or paint a picture in the mind’s eye. Language is also in perpetual change. What is acceptable today can be frowned upon tomorrow.
So take care with your words. They can both hurt and bring joy.
This article focuses on the language of disability, but consider your language use for other scenarios. For instance, how would you write an ALT description for the following image?
Would you describe their hair colour? What about their skin colour? After all, you need to provide an accurate description.
We will explore this explosive topic in a future article. For now, all we ask is that you consider this article when you next create content. Share it with your colleagues to ensure we are all being a little more Kindera.