64 DIVERSEability Magazine www.diverseabilitymagazine.com
COMMUNITY
B
s a community, it's important to be dedi- cated to empowering people with disabil- ities in becoming full participants in our soci- ety. We can all make this goal a reality by using mbohvbhf! uibu! sffdut! pvs! sftqfdu! gps! qfpqmf! with disabilities. While the language you use jt!jnqpsubou-!ju!jt!frvbmmz!jnqpsubou!uibu!zpv! demonstrate your respect for people with dis- abilities through your behavior. The most important thing to remember when
Focus on People First
A guide to interacting with people with disabilities
you interact with people with disabilities is that they are people. Their disability is just one of the many char- acteristics they have. People with disabilities ibwf!uif!tbnf!offet!xf!bmm!ep;!stu!boe!gpsf- most, among them is to be treated with dignity and respect. When you interact with people with dis- abilities, focus on their abilities, not their dis- bcjmjujft/! Qfpqmf! xjui! ejtbcjmjujft! bsf! vojrvf! individuals who have a wealth of knowledge, skills, talents, interests and experiences that add tremendous diversity, resourcefulness and creative energy to our society. Remember, people with disabilities may do things in different ways than people without them however, they can achieve the same out- comes.
General Etiquette Tips
Practice the Golden Rule Treat everyone as you would like to be treat- fe/!Uijol!pg!uif!qfstpo!stu-!opu!uifjs!ejtbcjm- juz/!Epou!tiz!bxbz!gspn!qfpqmf!xjui!ejtbcjmj- ties - relax and be yourself! Always Ask Before Giving Assistance Just because a person has a disability, they don't necessarily need or want your assistance. Ofwfs!ifmq!tpnfpof!xjuipvu!stu!btljoh!uifn/ Pof! xpnbo! sfdbmmt;! Xifo! J! xbmlfe! po! crutches, I was once knocked down by two little old ladies who were going to 'help' me walk on an icy sidewalk. Without asking, they came up, grabbed me, threw me off balance and down I went!"
Offensive Preferred
birth defect Person who is disabled since birth, born with a congenital disability cerebral palsied Person who has cerebral palsy cripple Person who needs mobility assistance deaf and dumb, deaf mute Person who is deaf and does not speak deformed Person who has a physical disability emotionally disturbed Person with an emotional disability handicapped Person with a disability hunchbacked Person with a spinal curvature insane, deranged, deviant Person with a mental illness midget, dwarf Person who is small in stature Mongoloid Person who has Down Syndrome Normal Non-disabled, able-bodied Retarded Person with a cognitive disability Xiffmdibjs!cpvoe-!dpoofe!up!b! wheelchair Person who uses a wheelchair
Tpvsdf;!Jmmjopjt!Efqbsunfou!pg!Ivnbo!Tfswjdft
People First Language
Bmxbzt!vtf!qptjujwf-!qfpqmf!stu!mbohvbhf!uibu!fnqpxfst!sbuifs!uibo!nbshjobmj{ft! people with disabilities. Here are some examples of offensive language and language that should be used:
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