[nabs-l] Disability Language

[Justin Harford]

Maybe you could expand on what you are trying to get at. 



> On Jul 25, 2015, at 8:43 PM, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> Evening, Justin,
> 
> Sounds like you view your own experience, as removed from other blind ones?
> Am I understanding this right? Why then not just call everyone blind people, for that's what we will remain?
> Car At 03:18 PM 7/25/2015, Justin Harford via nabs-l wrote:
>> I share a similar experience, working here in the independent living movement. I always use the politically correct language when referring to other people, and when at professional functions, but I am always a blind person, not a person who is blind. > On Jul 25, 2015, at 2:54 PM, Kaiti Shelton via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote: > > Personally, what Caitlin just said extends to me even as a student in > a clinical field.  I may be corrected in the future, but if I don't > see how a supervisor will have reason to correct me for identifying > myself as long as I am professional and politically correct when > referring to clients.  They can correct me all they want if I call a > child I'm working with, "One of my blind kiddos," but if I'm saying, > "As a blind person I..." and they call me out on it, I'm likely to > explain why I prefer identity first language and liken it to Deaf with > a capital D instead of hearing impaired, and other such examples. > > I accept it is the right thing to do in clinical work, and want to set > a good example for others I might meet as a professional, but that is > separate from my personal beliefs and how I want to be > treated/referred to.  You're right, you do have to separate personal > from professional and if people take issue with what I call myself and > not my clients, then that's them not separating the two, not I. > >> On 7/25/15, Caitlin Best via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote: >> I work for the army and the equal opportunity office for roughly 5 years, so >> I had a great deal of death employees come into my office. Most deaf people >> are very proud of their culture and their community and you don't even >> consider themselves to have a disability. They do preferred to use a D ­  a D >> to describe themselves. Also, using hearing impairment is very >> disrespectful. Most preferred to use hard of hearing or simply death because >> that is how they see themselves. >> >> As for other disability language, I would just rolled with whatever the >> person or people are comfortable with. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Jul 25, 2015, at 13:50, Karl Martin Adam via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> >>> wrote: >>> >>> Justin, the idea that you know better what someone should be called than >>> they do themselves seems awfully patronizing.  Isn't that sort of idea >>> that others know how we should live our lives better than we do a large >>> part of what we in the NFB and other disability rights organizations spend >>> our time fighting.  Also I happen to know that there are a lot of deaf >>> people who consider themselves Deaf with a capital d and are very proud of >>> their culture.  Calling them "persons with hearing impairments" or >>> something similar is extremely disrespectful. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: justin williams via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org >>> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" >>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org >>> Date sent: Sat, 25 Jul 2015 13:04:08 -0400 >>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Disability Language >>> >>> 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 >>> >>> _______________________________________________ > >> nabs-l mailing list >>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org  >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> nabs-l: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/justin.willia  >>> ms2%40gmail >>> .com >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ > >> nabs-l mailing list >>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org  >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> nabs-l: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/kmaent1%40gma  >>> il.com >>> >>> _______________________________________________ > >> nabs-l mailing list >>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org  >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> nabs-l: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bestca21%40gmail.com  >> >> _______________________________________________ > > nabs-l mailing list >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org  >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> nabs-l: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%40gmail.com  > > > -- > 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!" > > _______________________________________________ >  nabs-l mailing list > nabs-l at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org  > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/blindstein%40gmail.com _______________________________________________ nabs-l mailing list nabs-l at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carlymih%40comcast.net
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