Language

Words can reflect as well as influence the way people think

Negative words and stereotypes are a barrier to understanding the reality of disability. In recent years disabled people have claimed individual and collective rights and sought to change their circumstances in part by changing the words used to describe them.

Not everyone will agree on every term but there is consensus on some general guidelines.

Language guidelines

The word 'disabled' is a description not a group of people. Use 'disabled people' not 'the disabled' as the collective term.
Avoid medical labels, which say little about people as individuals and tend to reinforce stereotypes of disabled people as 'patients' or unwell.
Don’t refer solely to 'disabled people' in all government communications - many people who need disability benefits and services do not identify with this term. ‘People with health conditions or impairments’ is another common descriptor.
Avoid phrases like 'suffers from' which evoke discomfort or pity and suggest constant pain and a sense of hopelessness.
Wheelchair users may not view themselves as 'confined to' a wheelchair. Try thinking of it as a mobility aid instead.
Most disabled people are comfortable with the words used to describe daily living. People who use wheelchairs 'go for walks'. People with visual impairments may be very pleased - or not - 'to see you'. An impairment may just mean that some things are done in a different way.
Common phrases that may associate impairments with negative things should be avoided, for example 'deaf to our pleas' or 'blind drunk'.
Avoid passive, victim words. Use language that respects disabled people as active individuals with control over their own lives.

Words to avoid and use

Avoid	Use
(the) handicapped, (the) disabled	disabled (people)
afflicted by, suffers from, victim of	has [name of condition or impairment]
confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound	wheelchair user
mentally handicapped, mentally defective, retarded, subnormal	with a learning disability (singular) with learning disabilities (plural)
cripple, invalid	disabled person
spastic	person with cerebral palsy
able-bodied	non-disabled
mental patient, insane, mad	person with a mental health condition
deaf and dumb; deaf mute	deaf, user of British sign language, person with a hearing impairment
the blind	people with visual impairments; blind people; blind and partially sighted people
An epileptic, diabetic, depressive, etc	person with epilepsy / diabetes / depression or someone who has epilepsy / diabetes / depression
dwarf; midget	someone with restricted growth or short stature
fits, spells, attacks	seizures

Some tips on language

Use a normal tone of voice, do not patronise or talk down.
Do not define a disabled person by their impairment. It causes offence to be given a medical label.
Don’t be too precious or too politically correct - being super-sensitive to the right and wrong language and depictions will stop you doing anything.
Take care to ensure that language used does not reinforce a negative stereotype.
Avoid labels that say nothing about the person and reinforce the impression that the disabled person is sick or dependent.
Avoid references that dehumanise, use instead a ‘person with…’ Never say ‘a victim of’ or ‘suffers from’. Avoid collective nouns, such as ‘the disabled’. One exception is that many deaf people whose first language is British Sign Language (BSL) consider themselves part of ‘the deaf community.’ They may describe themselves as ‘Deaf’, with a capital D, to emphasise their deaf identity.
It is acceptable to use everyday language, for example, ‘see you later’, or ‘another pair of hands.’
Never attempt to speak or finish a sentence for the person you are talking to.
Address disabled people in the same way as you talk to everyone else.
Communicate directly to a disabled person, even if accompanied by an interpreter or companion.
Ensure the disabled person has a role equal to that of everyone else.