[Ct-nfb] Person-First Language

[Justin Salisbury]

Dear Janet and everyone else,

I definitely don't want anyone to feel demeaned. What I suppose I am trying to figure out is what about blindness makes it a different and negative characteristic that would, unlike other characteristics, demean someone if used before the noun.

Also, how does blindness define someone any more than physical stature, race, gender, etc.?

Yours,

Justin

Sent from the iPhone of:

Justin M. Salisbury
Graduate Student
Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness
Louisiana Tech University
Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>
Twitter: @SalisburyJustin

On Sep 30, 2014, at 9:38 PM, Janet Wallans <janetcw at sbcglobal.net<mailto:janetcw at sbcglobal.net>> wrote:

Hello Justin,

I personally prefer the person first language. I like to think of myself as a person first and rather not be labeled or thought of as a blind person. I find that very demeaning. I would rather not be described by my disability.

Janet

From: Ct-nfb [mailto:ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Justin Salisbury via Ct-nfb
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 9:20 PM
To: 'ct-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:ct-nfb at nfbnet.org>'
Subject: [Ct-nfb] Person-First Language

Fellow Federationists:

In many circles in the disability community, there has come to be a practice of referring to ourselves as "people with disabilities" or "people who are blind" instead of "blind people."

What message does this send, and why do we not have a practice of saying "woman who is blonde," or, for that matter, "person who is female and blonde?" Why do we not say "person who is male and short" instead of "short man?" What is it that is different about a disability that necessitates placing the adjective after the noun?

Yours in Federationism,

Justin Salisbury
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