CONNECTIONS

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People First Language seeks to put the person first and the disability second. People with disabilities are people, first and foremost. A person is not handicapped, a person is not disabled...a person has a disability. Handicapped is not a term to describe human beings.

People First Language focuses on the person first, the disability last. It describes what the person HAS, not what he/she IS. Some examples of correct usage would be people with disabilities, a child with cerebral palsy, my sister has a cognitive impairment, my father has a visual impairment, my brother has autism. Never use terms such as suffers from, is afflicted with or is a victim of. There are people who use wheelchairs, but not someone who is wheelchair-bound. Children are not born with birth defects, they are born with congenital disabilities.

As our society's language changes, as we talk about people first, perceptions will change, attitudes will change, society's acceptance and respect for people with disabilities will increase, and an inclusive society will become reality.

Change your habits first, then work on others. People First Language is right and the time for it is now.®