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Show Volume V, Issue VIII THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 19 February 1, 2002 LANGUAGE cont. from page 18 you acquire a disability in your lifetime, how will you want to be described? How will you want to be treated? Disability issues are issues that affect all Americans. Using People First Language is a crucial issue. If people with disabilities are to be included in all aspects of our communities—in the ordinary, wonderful, and typical activities most people take for granted—they must talk about themselves in the ordinary, wonderful, typical language others use about themselves. Children with disabilities are children, first. The only labels they need are their names! Parents must not talk about their children in the clinical terms used by medical practitioners. A parent of a child who wears glasses (medical diagnosis: myopia) doesn’t say, “My daughter is myopic,” so why does the parent of a child who has a medical diagnosis of autism say, “My daughter is autistic.”? Adults with disabilities are adults, first. The only labels thy need are their names! They must not talk about themselves the way service providers talk about them. An adult with a medical diagnosis of cancer doesn’t say, “I’m cancerous,” so why does an adult with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy say, “I’m disabled.”? What’s the only purpose of a disability label? To get services! Disability labels cannot be used to define human beings! My son Benjamin is 14 years old. He loves Star Wars, pretzels, and plying on the computer; he collects Pez candy dispensers. He has blonde hair, blue eyes, and cerebral palsy. His disability is only one characteristic of his whole persona. He is not his diagnosis, and his potential cannot be defined by his disability label. In fact, among friends and family, and in typical settings, a person’s disability should be irrelevant! Disability labels should only be used within the service system; they have no place in the real world! When I introduce myself to people, I don’t tell them I’ll never be a prima ballerina. Like others, I focus on my strengths, not on what I can’t do. Don’t you do the same? I don’t say, “My son can’t write with a pencil.” I say, “My son uses a computer to write.” I don’t say, “My son can’t walk.” I say, “My son uses a wheelchair.” How can you change the language you use about yourself or others with disabilities? NEW LISTING! A person’s self-image is strongly tied to the words used to describe the person. For generations, people with disabilities have been described in negative, stereotypical language that has created mythical portrayals about them. Over time, these myths have taken on the power of truths, when they’re actually lies. We must all believe people with disabilities are real people with unlimited potential, just like all Americans. We must stop believing the myths—the lies—of labels. We have the power to create new truths about people with disabilities. Using People First Language can influence society’s views and treatment of people with disabilities. Isn’t it time for us to make this change? If not now, when? If not you, who? Examples of People First Language Say: People with disabilities, instead of the handicapped or disabled He has a cognitive disability, instead of he’s mentally retarded She has autism, instead of she’s autistic He has Down syndrome, instead of he’s Downs She has a learning disability, instead of she’s learning disabled He has a physical disability, instead of he’s a quadriplegic/crippled She’s of short stature, instead of she’s a dwarf (or midget) He has an emotional disability, instead of he’s emotionally disturbed She uses a wheelchair or mobility chair, instead of she’s wheelchair bound or confined to a wheelchair He receives special “ed” services, instead of he’s in special “ed” Typical kids, or kids without disabilities, instead of normal or healthy kids Congenital disability, instead of birth defect Brain injury, instead of brain damaged Accessible parking, instead of handicapped parking She needs, or she uses, instead of she has a problem with And no more “special needs”! A person’s needs aren’t special to him or her, they’re normal and ordinary! Keep thinking—there are many descriptors we need to change. Practice new ways of thinking! Note: Kathie Snow is the author of the brochure on people first language. She has also written two books, “Disability is Natural: Revolutionary common Sense for Raising Successful Children with Disabilities,” published in March 2001; and “Disability is Natural,” which discusses new ways of thinking about people with disabilities. For more information, contact her web site at www.disabilityisnatural.com Ken Turner 940-9000 MLS# 262113 $324,900 Valley's Finest :Elegant 4 BR 2.5 BA on 1.25 Ac. w/Stream! Call for details! For this & other properties please visit my website: www.kenturner.org Huntsville Store only. Good on Tuesdays and Sundays only. 570 South 7800 East Huntsville, UT 84317 Expires March 31, 2002 |