Language for journalists
We know that all too often the only disabling aspect of someone's life is the negative attitude of the society that surrounds them.
Language is a very powerful tool.
The words we choose to express ideas can have a strong influence in the way we define and understand issues.
The way disabled people are portrayed by the media has a huge impact on how they are regarded in their community. To combat the negative attitudes that too many disabled people encounter we are calling on the media to use the correct language when discussing disability.
Appropriate language describes disabled people in an active rather than a passive role. For example 'wheelchair bound' portrays a negative image of the person, while 'wheelchair user' is an active term which shifts the emphasis from the wheelchair to the person
Here are some simple terms to help you out:
Dos and don'ts
Do Don't
Disabled Crippled, handicapped, invalid
Disabled people The disabled
Has (an impairment) Suffers from, victim of
Non disabled Able bodied, healthy, normal
Wheelchair user Wheelchair bound
To find out more take a look at Disability Now's Hacked Off guide.
