“It is essential that organisations engage in regular conversations with disabled people to find out an individual’s preference around disability and the use of language.” - Disability Rights UK

While there isn’t always a universally agreed ‘correct’ way of talking about the many different aspects of disability, there are some general rules to be aware of.

“Disabled person” or “person with a disability”?

Whether to describe somebody as a “disabled person” or a “person with a disability” is a complex issue and should always come down to the preference of the individual being spoken to or about.

But when talking in more general terms about disabled people as a group or in the abstract (i.e. not referring to one specific person), it can become necessary to define that group in one way or another.

• Person-first language (“person with a disability”) puts the emphasis on the person first rather than defining them mainly by their disability.
• Identify-first language (“disabled person”) puts the emphasis on how people with impairments are actually disabled by the world around them that is not equipped to allow them to participate, and places the responsibility on society to remove the barriers facing disabled people. Using identity-first language follows the ‘social model of disability’.

How to describe people and their specific disability or condition

The person-first or identity-first question also relates to how to talk about people and their specific disability or condition.

Again, this will depend on whether you are talking to or about somebody specifically, in which case you should always listen to how people talk about themselves and take your cue from them.

But when talking more generally, there is a basic principle to keep in mind:

• Don’t describe people by their specific impairment. For example, instead of saying “she is diabetic", it is better to say “she has diabetes". Instead of "he is dyslexic", say "he has dyslexia". In this way, you are not defining somebody by their impairment or condition.

Autism

A notable exception to this rule is autism, where research suggests a majority of autistic people prefer to be referred to as an “autistic person”.

In one of the largest surveys of its kind carried out by the Autistic Not Weird website, a majority of autistic people said they wanted to be referred to as an “autistic person” rather than a “person with autism”.

One reason for this difference is that many autistic people see it as part of their identity, take ownership of it, and seek to remove any historic negative connotations of the word "autistic".

So when talking generally, it is better to use phrases like "they are autistic" rather than "they have autism". Although again, it will come down to personal preference. That is, the autistic person's preference, not yours.

Tellingly, the same survey by Autistic Not Weird showed that non-autistic people preferred to use the term “person with autism”, in direct contrast to the views and wishes of the most important group: autistic people themselves.

Avoid negative language

• Avoid saying someone is “suffering from” a disability or is “confined” to a wheelchair, as it encourages a limited view of that person as a victim. Instead, saying somebody is a "wheelchair user" more accurately reflects that the wheelchair helps the individual using it to get around.
• Don’t use collective terms or labels like “the disabled”, “the deaf”, “the blind”.
• Don’t describe people without a disability as “able bodied” or “normal” as it suggests that disabled people are in some way abnormal. Remember that not all disability is physical, while neurodiversity is simply part of the natural variation of human brains.
• Avoid making assumptions based on appearance or impairments.

Communication

• Talk to a disabled person as you would to anyone else – focus on a person’s ability rather than their disability.
• How much someone wishes to talk about their disability depends on their individual preferences.
• Speak directly to the disabled person, not their support worker or interpreter.
• If you are having trouble understanding someone’s speech, it’s okay to ask them to repeat themselves – don’t pretend to understand or finish someone’s sentences.
• If you are unsure about how to say something, ask the person what they would prefer.
• Be respectful in the language you use about disability, and expect the same of others, whether a disabled person is present or not.
• Don’t worry about using common expressions such as “see you later” in front of someone who has a visual impairment or “I’ve got to run” in front of a wheelchair user.

Offering assistance

• Don’t assume that a disabled person wants or needs your help.
• As a basic courtesy, ask before you try to help and wait until the disabled person accepts your offer.
• Don’t worry if your offer is turned down.

Scope’s ‘End the Awkward’ campaign

The disability equality charity Scope has produced the ‘End the Awkward’ campaign aimed at helping people feel more comfortable about disability. Using humour to get people thinking differently, the campaign includes a series of videos and practical tips on what to do and what not to do in a variety of situations.

Learn more about the social model of disability

Learn more about the social model of disability, which says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference. Barriers can be physical or caused by people's attitudes.

One example of this model in action is when a disabled person who can't use stairs wants to get into a building with a step at the entrance. The social model recognises that this is a problem with the building, not the person, and would suggest adding a ramp to the entrance.

Developing a Disability Inclusive Workforce - an employer guide

The Disability Inclusion Guide explains the benefits of hiring disabled employees and is packed full of information and resources on how to:

• support new and existing disabled employees
• ensure your recruitment process does not exclude people based on disability
• talk about disability in an inclusive way
• learn about different disabilities and conditions
• become a disability confident employer
• develop the best team possible

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE HERE >

Need more information?

For more information and support on recruiting and managing disabled people and people with health conditions, contact the Workforce Skills Team at Buckinghamshire Business First:

email: WorkforceSkills@bbf.uk.com
call: 01494 927130