[nabs-l] Disability Language

Sat Jul 25 17:55:26 UTC 2015

Keep in mine, you have to separate personal from professional.  Practice
yout person first language, then when you do it well, you will learn where
you can  be less formal.  I'm not sthat you forever and always have to use
person first language, but both in my masters' program, and aon my
intership,  if you didn't, you got corrected.  You may not like it, but
learn to love it; I didn.  In informal situations, sometimes I'm informal.  
Also, when I'm out and about, if I hear some say, that blind guy, I
Emphatically remind of my name bequeathed to me at my birth.  That, is
Justin.

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti Shelton
via nabs-l
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2015 1:24 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Disability Language

Thanks, Arielle, for that information.  I'll definitely look up that
article.

It definitely makes sense to use whatever terminology each person is
comfortable with, including one's self as a clinician.  I'd argue that using
person first language is not always setting the best professional example
because too often professionals are out of touch with how disability is a
part of a person's identity.  I'd also argue that in cases where that person
feels their disability is a part of who their, E.G, blind person or an
autistic person, then it could be less empowering to call them, "A person
who is blind/has autism."
Personally I'm annoyed by person first language when it is being used on me
because to me it signifies that the person is being overly cautious with me,
and I'll do what Arielle talked of doing but in reverse.  I'll refer to
myself as, "A blind person," so that the others around me know it is okay to
use identity first language with me.

So far I have done the other thing Arielle described, and that is I do make
sure I listen to clients and how they want their disability/condition to be
referred to.  I know one client I came across in volunteer work who's family
preferred "Legally blind," while another preferred "visually impaired."  I
do strive to honor those personal choices, but I also want to have my own
personal choice of how I refer to myself honored.

On 7/25/15, justin williams via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> While operating in the field, I am careful to set the best example for 
> my consumer. Often times, consumers use names such as physically 
> disabled, or deaf, or something such as that.  They use the 
> terminology given to them by those who while well meaning, are not in 
> touch with the day to day maneusha which goes along with having a 
> disability.  I am careful to usualy stay in the professional 
> guidelines unless doing so will cause undo stress.  I've noticed that 
> when I use person first language, the consumer becomes more empowered and
is more inclined to take control of their life.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle 
> Silverman via nabs-l
> Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2015 12:57 AM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com>
> Subject: [nabs-l] Disability Language
>
> Hi Kaiti and all. I read an article recently about disability language 
> which was published in the journal American Psychologist and authored 
> by Dana Dunn, a prominent disability psychologist. Basically, the 
> article described how language preferences are changing. As others 
> have pointed out, there is a lot of debate about whether to use 
> person-first ("person who is blind") or identity-first ("blind 
> person"). What Dr. Dunn recommends is that clinicians should simply 
> ask clients what term they prefer and use those terms (honoring 
> different clients with different terms, if necessary). So you would 
> not automatically need to call your client a person with a disability 
> unless he/she explicitly prefers that language. I have noticed that 
> the vast majority of people I meet/exchange emails with who have 
> autism want to be called "autistic people" and the only people I know 
> who use the term "people with autism" are non-autistic people. So, I 
> regularly use the term "autistic person" because that seems to be the 
> majority preference for those who are actually part of that group. If 
> a particular autistic person or family objects, then I will switch to 
> their term of choice. I also use the term "blind person" to describe 
> myself and others in the blindness community.
> When I talk to parents of blind children, I try to listen to their 
> terms and follow their language (even if it's "visually impaired"). I 
> think honoring language and building common language is a part of 
> building rapport and trust with others.
> Arielle
>
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--
Kaiti Shelton
University of Dayton-Music Therapy
President, Ohio Association of Blind Students 2013-Present Secretary, The
National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division 2015-2016

"You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back!"

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