Day 81: Did you know? People-First Language

Sometimes, often from a place of not wanting to do harm,  we end up not talking or writing about people with disabilities.  The down side of that is the exclusion or stigmatization of people with disabilities. The good news is that there are some clear steps we can take to change this.  The CDC has prepared a helpful page on Communicating With and About People with Disabilities. 

One of the key concepts to learn is People-first language (PFL). 

"People-first language is used to communicate appropriately and respectfully with and about an individual with a disability. People-first language emphasizes the person first, not the disability. For example, when referring to a person with a disability, refer to the person first, by using phrases such as, “a person who …”, “a person with …” or, “person who has …”

Give it a try: Check out the CDC's tips

Communicating With and About People with Disabilities.  (PDF versionEspañol (Spanish) version)

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