This useful list of common courtesies and tips is an extract from our handy pocket guide, What's Hot & What's Not, specially designed for Don't DIS my ABILITY.
If you would like copies of the handy pocket guide please contact us. Or you can download What's Hot & What's Not here.
A-Z tips
Ability
When communicating with or about people with a disability remember they may have only one disability—but they have many abilities.
A paraplegic, a haemophiliac
The use of ‘A' before the noun categorises the person based on their disability. Use person with haemophilia, man who has paraplegia.
Abnormal or sub-normal
Not acceptable. Use people or person with a disability.
Afflicted with or suffering from
Most people with a disability do not see themselves as afflicted or suffering.
Assistance
Always ask a person with a disability if they need help before rushing in.
Blind
Use only to describe a person who really is blind. In other cases use person with vision impairment.
Confined to a wheelchair
A wheelchair is not confining, it provides mobility to those who can't walk.
Cripple
Only to be used as part of a direct quote or an organisation's name.
Deaf
Only use if a person really is Deaf. In other cases use person with a hearing impairment.
Defect
Not acceptable. Use congenital disability, blind from birth.
Disabled
Use people or person with a disability, not disabled person. The person always comes first.
Disabled toilet or disabled parking space
The toilet or car park is not disabled! Use accessible toilet or accessible parking space.
Fits
The preferred term is seizures.
Guide dogs
Never pat or touch a guide dog while the dog is working or when the dog is in its harness. Always ask permission and remember that sometimes the owner may say no.
Handicap
This word should only be used to describe the obstacles that restrict an individual's participation, e.g. a person is handicapped by the lack of accessible transport.
Intellectual disability
Terms such as mongol, retard or mentally retarded are outdated. Use people with an intellectual disability.
Mental illness
Do not use insane, lunatic, mad or crazy. Use mental illness or the appropriate clinical name. e.g. person with schizophrenia.
Mongolism
Use person with Down syndrome.
Normal
This is a statistical term. Use person without a disability or terms such as sighted or hearing.
Patient
Should only be used when a person is actually receiving medical care. Use the same adjective as you would for a person without a disability.
Patronising language
Don't describe people as brave, special
or suffering. Disability is part of
everyday life.
People with disabilities
Can imply that people have more than one disability. Use people with a disability.
Psychiatric disability
Can be used to describe a mental illness. Don't use insane, lunatic, mad or crazy.
Retarded
Derogatory, outdated and unacceptable—instead use people with an intellectual disability.
Spastic
Derogatory, outdated and unacceptable, unless used as part of an organisation's name. In most cases person with cerebral palsy is the acceptable alternative.
Sufferer
People don't suffer just because they have a disability.
The blind, the deaf
Avoid using ‘the' in this manner as it unconsciously eliminates the person and creates a generalisation based purely on disability.
Vegetables
Are what you cook and eat—not people who are unconscious or in a coma.
Victim
People are victims of war, crime or exploitative wages. People with a disability prefer not to be referred to as victims.
Visual impairment
Implies a
person is unattractive to look at!
Use vision impairment or sight
impairment.
Wheelchair user
When talking to a person who uses a wheelchair place yourself at eye level. Do not push anyone who uses a wheelchair unless you are asked.
DADHC would like to thank Link Disability Magazine (linkonline.com.au) for
developing and allowing us to use this list.
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