[nabs-l] Disability Language

Wed Jul 29 05:09:28 UTC 2015

Thanks for posting this, Michael.  I've actually emailed back and
forth with the writer a bit for a project I'm involved with, and her
blog is spot-on.  I think this article nailed Identity-First Language
on the head.

Still, leave it to me to be a part of a counter-culture.  :)  I
completely agree with the sentiment that if human services
professionals working with disabled people/people with disabilities
want to truly show understanding and compassion, they'll ask how the
client/patient/student/etc wants to be referred to.

On 7/28/15, Sophie Trist via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I replied to her. See below.
> Dear Ms. Kathy, I'm glad you enjoyed reading my travel log as
> much as I enjoyed writing it. The memories I ade while on that
> trip are memories I will keep for a lifetime. I can't preserve
> memories with photos and videos, so writing is how I do it. It's
> how I bring my memories and imagination to life.
>
> Yours sincerely,
> Sophie
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: Michael D Ausbun via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Tue, 28 Jul 2015 23:43:20 +0000
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Disability Language
>
> Here is an interesting article with further information:
> http://www.thinkinclusive.us/why-person-first-language-doesnt-alw
> ays-put-the-person-first/?utm_content=buffer6172b&utm_medium=soci
> al&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=bufferWhat%27s
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jul 26, 2015, at 7:15 PM, Ashley Bramlett via nabs-l
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org<mailto:nabs-l at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> I prefer indentity first language.
> We never say person who is black or person  who is grey haired.
> We do not say person with curly hair.
> Yet with disabilities we say people with disabilities or people
> with autism, CP, or whatever the disability is.
> Its strange to me this person first language.
> We do not do that with other races, ages or ethnicities but yet
> it뭩 the politically correct thing to do with
> disabilities.
> Personally with usable vision, I like visually impaired, low
> vision, or legally blind.
> But I'm not offended by people saying blind person to me.
> I do understand why they say the person first but its annoying.
>
> Ashley
>
> -----Original Message----- From: justin williams via nabs-l
> Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2015 1:04 PM
> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
> Cc: justin williams
> 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<mailto:nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Arielle Silverman
> <arielle71 at gmail.com<mailto: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!"