By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Everyone wants to feel respected and included and language plays a role in this perception. As language and societal paradigms evolve, how to express disability shifts.
“I do not believe that there is a single rule that applies to all disability communities,” said Brittany Goodrich, director of Kennedy Willis Center at Pathfinder Village in Edmeston. “I think a great practice would be to ask the person or group of people directly how they would like to be addressed and what their preference is for the conversation and follow their lead.”
Unfortunately, addressing a general audience in print or through speech cannot accommodate each person’s preference.
A go-to rule that would satisfy everyone’s preference would be simpler, but “there can be many different factors that influence how people describe themselves,” Goodrich said. “Whether the disability was present from birth or acquired later in life may shape that person’s relationship with disability-language and impact how significant it is or isn’t to their identity.”
Societal stigma and family background can shape how people view their own disability. Various influences impact their personal “lens” as well.
“There isn’t a universally correct answer,” said Melissa Soules, disabilities services manager at Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua. “The most accurate answer is respecting individual preference is better than one rule for everyone. Person-first language is the generalized rule if you don’t know the person’s preference.”
For example, “person with a disability” instead of “disabled person.” Person-first language acknowledges that the individual is far more than a diagnosis or classification. This is still the preferred way to go when addressing a group or as Soules said, when an individual’s preference is unknown.
For some populations, having a lifelong disability has created for them a culture and identity. This can foster an inclination to choose language such as “deaf community” or “deaf person” (sometimes it’s capitalized) instead of “person who is deaf” or “person with hearing impairment.” But that can vary among individuals.
“For the Deaf, the identity doesn’t separate who they are but is their lived experience,” Soules said. “When it comes to which one we use, respect the language the individual embraces themselves. If the individual uses identity-first language, then mirror that preference is what the person talking with them should do. If you’re unsure, then start with person-first and wait to hear if that language is correct.”
Deaf people may use own language, such as American Sign Language, in addition to spoken and lipread English. Deaf schools, clubs and organizations can create a tight-knit culture that creates a sense of community. However, not every person feels this way.
Many other factors matter such as how others in their life have approached their disability, such as their family and teachers. Preferences can change over the lifespan.
“Once a person knows more about themselves or joins a community that they resonate with, they might switch to identity-first language,” Soules said. “It’s evolving and relates to the person. But someone might have faced a microaggression or otherwise affected their view on that part of their identity.”
She added that someone living with a chronic illness that causes disability may say, “I’m a disabled person living with…”
For disability related to mental health, Soules said simply using “disabled” for identity-first language is typical. She also said that the larger an affected group is, the more likely they are to embrace identity-first language.
“In my line of work, I’m student support, so in conversation with students, they’re more likely to identify that immediately but if it’s not relevant, they wouldn’t necessarily intro that as an ice breaker,” Soules said.
Hard-and-fast rules about language can help people feel comfortable that they’re saying the right thing. However, the changeable nature of language makes that impossible for deciding between person-first and identity-first language.
“Really, there isn’t a ‘correct’ approach,” said Eileen Radigan, Nazareth University program director and assistant professor for undergraduate inclusive early childhood/childhood education. “Both approaches it’s important to realize stem from advocacy. Be purposeful based on the perspective.”
She added that middle-aged adults and older tend to lean into person-first language more than younger people who tend to view their disability as a form of self-advocacy and self-identification. Middle aged and older adults may have experienced more discrimination and stigma regarding their disability, which may indicate why they prefer person-first identification. The age when the person acquires the disability also matters, as a lifelong disability tends to feel more like a part of the person’s identity than a disability acquired later in life.
“Someone with a disability may identify in a multitude of ways and we can’t assume they see disability as central to their identity,” Radigan said.
Those who opt for identify-first language may simply choose this to express that disability is “an important part of their identity and something to take pride in and not an afterthought,” Radigan said. “It can centrally indicate that disability is an important form of identity and it does matter that I’m disabled.”
Disability can shape a person’s experience in both positive and negative ways. Some people feel that identity-first language honors both with support and no stigma or patronization.
The term “special needs” has fallen out of favor with many as the needs of all people are the same regardless of the tools they need for succeeding in meeting their goals and potential.
“Most people in disability rights don’t like ‘special needs’ or ‘special education,’” Radigan said. “What’s ‘special’ about it? It’s condescending and stigmatizing as if there is something so ‘special’ but in reality, it’s not.”
She added that terms like “people with diverse needs” or “a variety of needs” is even broader for people who don’t see themselves as disabled but might require some kinds of school accommodations such as a student who doesn’t qualify for an individualized education plan, but needs some supports to succeed.