[Ct-nfb] Person-First Language

[Tammy Robbins]

Hi all, Justin I personally don't
 find the description of my blindness as demeaning!  I tend to be more frustrated by the fact that most people notice my blindness before they discover other things about me as a person!  I think that the problem most people have is that they don't understand blindness and they tend to be afraid of what they can't understand!
Now, having said all that, I most definitely feel that the more people see us do, the more aware they will become!  Maybe I'm optimistic but I am hoping it works this way!  :)
Thank you all for reading!

Tammy

Sent from my iPhone

Tammy Robbins
Reiki Practitioner and Intuitive Animal Consultant
Phone: 860-822-3125
Email: gypsie-rose at ct.metrocast.net


> On Sep 30, 2014, at 11:00 PM, Justin Salisbury via Ct-nfb <ct-nfb at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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
> Twitter: @SalisburyJustin
> 
> On Sep 30, 2014, at 9:38 PM, Janet Wallans <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'
>> 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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