On Wed, 26 Jan 2000 15:13:54 -0500 "Dr. Nancy Lane" asks
about disability language:
> I have been asked to give one lecture on writing about disability in an
> under-graduate course on journalism. My field of expertise in regard to
> disability is primarily in religion, theology and spirituality. Since I
> live with a disability I know some of the areas I want to cover.
> However, I am not sure I am up to date on language issues--although I
> read the posts on language with interest. While I have my own thoughts
> on language, I would appreciate some suggestions to consider and ref to
> any articles or books/chapters that are "not to be missed" for future
> journalists.
>
> Any other thoughts on points I should cover are welcome. My primary
> point will cover how negative and stereotypical language perpetuate
> negative attitudes and myths about people with disabilities.
I have recently sent this to a journalist. Unfortunately, it was sent
because some members in another list felt the language used in his
article was not politically correct and an argument is still ongoing
about PWD's being overly sensitive and missing the point about what
was being reported -- an article on something that would benefit our
community.
I hope it applies to what you are looking for.
------------------------------------
Source: <http://www.lsi.ukans.edu/rtcil/guidelin.htm>
GUIDELINES FOR REPORTING AND WRITING ABOUT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES. Copyright 1996, FIFTH EDITION
This web page contains partial informtion on the "Guidelines."
For a complimentary brochure with the complete list, please send
a stamped self-addressed envelope to RTC/IL Publications, University
of Kansas, 4089 Dole Bldg., Lawrence, KS, 66045. The "Guidelines" are
available in large print, braille, and Spanish.)
[$.35 per brochure 1-100 (brochures) plus S & H; $.30 per brochure
101-1000 (brochures) plus S & H; $.27 per brochure for orders of 1001
or more plus S & H]
Here is a set of clear guidelines to help you make better choices in
terms of language and portrayal.
The "Guidelines" explain preferred terminology and offer suggestions
for appropriate ways to describe people with disabilities. They reflect
input from over 100 national disability organizations and have been
reviewed and endorsed by media and disability experts throughout the
country. Although opinions may differ on some terms, the "Guidelines"
represent the current consensus among disability organizations.
Portions of the "Guidelines" have been adopted into the "Associated
Press Stylebook", a basic reference for professional journalists.
Please use the "Guidelines" when you write or report about people with
disabilities. If you would like more information, additional copies of
the "Guidelines", or an attractive 14x20 poster of disability writing
style "do's" and "don'ts" contact: Publications, Research and Training
Center on Independent Living, 4089 Dole Bldg., University of Kansas,
Lawrence KS 66045.
You can also contact our Center by e-mail:[log in to unmask], phone:
913-864-4095 (voice/TTY), or by fax: (913-864-5063).
Information about ordering the "Guidelines" is also listed in our free
catalog and on the World Wide Web under
RTCIL <http://www.lsi.ukans.edu/rtcil/catalog1.htm>
Please consider the following when writing about people with disabilities.
DO NOT FOCUS ON DISABILITY unless it is crucial to a story. Avoid tear-jerking
human interest stories about incurable diseases, congenital impairments, or
severe injury. Focus instead on issues that affect the quality of life for
those same individuals, such as accessible transportation, housing, affordable
health care, employment opportunities, and discrimination.
DO NOT PORTRAY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS SUPERHUMAN.Even though
the public may admire superachievers, portraying people with disabilities as
superstars raises false expectations that all people with disabilities should
achieve this level.
DO NOT SENSATIONALIZE A DISABILITY by saying afflicted with, crippled with,
suffers from, victim of, and so on. Instead, say person who has multiple
sclerosis or man who had polio.
DO NOT USE GENERIC LABELS for disability groups, such as "the retarded,"
"the deaf." Emphasize people not labels. Say people with mental retardation
or people who are deaf.
PUT PEOPLE FIRST, not their disability. Say woman with arthritis, children
who are deaf, people with disabilities.
This puts the focus on the individual, not the particular functional limitation.
Because of editorial pressures to be succinct, we know it is not always possible
to put people first. If the portrayal is positive and accurate, consider the
following variations: disabled citizens, nondisabled people, wheelchair-user,
deaf girl, paralyzed child, and so on.
Crippled, deformed, suffers from, victim of, the retarded, infirm, the deaf and
dumb, etc. are never acceptable under any circumstances.
EMPHASIZE ABILITIES not limitations. For example: uses a wheelchair/braces,
walks with crutches, rather than confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound,
or crippled. Similarly, do not use emotional descriptors such as unfortunate,
pitiful, and so forth.
Disability groups also strongly object to using euphemisms to describe
disabilities. Terms such as handicapable, mentally different, physically
inconvenienced, and physically challenged are considered condescending.
They reinforce the idea that disabilities cannot be dealt with up front.
DO NOT IMPLY DISEASE when discussing disabilities that result from a prior
disease episode. People who had polio and experienced after effects have a
postpolio disability. They are not currently experiencing the disease. Do not
imply disease with people whose disability has resulted from anatomical or
physiological damage (e.g., person with spina bifida or cerebral palsy).
Reference to disease associated with a disability is acceptable only
with chronic diseases, such as arthritis, Parkinson's disease, or multiple
sclerosis. People with disabilities should never be referred to as patients
or cases unless their relationship with their doctor is under discussion.
SHOW PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS ACTIVE participants of society. Portraying
persons with disabilities interacting with nondisabled people in social and
work environments helps break down barriers and open lines of communications.
Listed below are preferred words that reflect a positive attitude in portraying
disabilities:
Brain injury. Describes a condition where there is long-term or temporary
disruption in brain function resulting from injury to the brain. Difficulties
with the cognitive, physical, emotional, or social functioning may occur.
Use person with a brain injury, woman who has sustained brain injury, or boy
with an acquired brain injury.
Cleft lip. Describes a specific congenital disability involving lip and gum.
The term hare lip is anatomically incorrect and stigmatizing. Use person who
has a cleft lip or a cleft palate.
Deaf. Deafness refers to a profound degree of hearing loss that prevents
understanding speech though the ear. Hearing impaired and hearing loss are
generic terms used by some individuals to indicate any degree of hearing
loss--from mild to profound. These terms include people who are hard of hearing
and deaf. However, some individuals completely disfavor the term hearing impaired.
Others prefer to use deaf or hard of hearing. Hard of hearing refers to a mild to
moderate hearing loss that may or may not be corrected with amplification.
Use women who is deaf, boy who is hard of hearing, individuals with hearing
losses, people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Disability. General term used for a functional limitation that interferes with
a person's ability for example, to walk, lift, hear, or learn. It may refer to
a physical, sensory, or mental condition. Use as a descriptive noun or adjective,
such as person living with AIDS, woman who is blind. or man with a disability.
Impairment refers to loss or abnormality of an organ or body mechanism, which
may result in disability.
Disfigurement. Refers to physical changes caused by burn, trauma, disease, or
congenital problems.
Down syndrome. Describes a chromosome disorder which usually causes a delay in
physical, intellectual, and language development.
Usually results in mental retardation. Mongol or mongoloid are unacceptable.
Handicap. Not a synonym for disability. Describes a condition or barrier imposed
by society, the environment, or by one's own self. Some individuals prefer
inaccessible or not accessible to describe social and environmental barriers.
Handicap can be used when citing laws and situations but should not be used to
describe a disability. Do not refer to people with disabilities as the handicapped
or handicapped people. Say the building is not accessible for a wheelchair-user.
The stairs are a handicap for her.
HIV/AIDS. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is an infectious disease resulting
in the loss of the body's immune system to ward off infections The disease is
caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A positive test for HIV can
occur without symptoms of the illnesses which usually develop up to 10 years later,
including tuberculosis, recurring pneumonia cancer, recurrent vaginal yeast
infections, intestinal ailments, chronic weakness and fever and profound weight
loss. Preferred: people living with HIV people with AIDS or living with AIDS.
Mental disability. The Federal Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) lists four
categories under mental disability: psychiatric disability retardation, learning
disability, or cognitive impairment is acceptable.
Nondisabled. Appropriate term for people without disabilities. Normal, able-bodied,
healthy, or whole are inappropriate.
Seizure. Describes an involuntary muscular contraction, a brief impairment or loss
of consciousness, etc. resulting from a neurological condition such as epilepsy
or from an acquired brain injury. Rather than epileptic, say girl with epilepsy
or boy with a seizure disorder. The term convulsion should be used only for
seizures involving contraction of the entire body.
Spastic. Describes a muscle with sudden abnormal and involuntary spasm. Not
appropriate for describing someone with cerebral palsy or a neurological disorder
Muscles are spastic, not people.
Stroke. Caused by interruption of blood to brain. Hemiplegia (paralysis on one
side) may result. Stroke survivor is preferred over stroke victim.
The RTC/IL acknowledges NIDRR for providing funds to develop the first edition of
the "Guidelines".
PARTIAL LIST OF ENDORSEES
ACCENT ON LIVING MAGAZINE, BLOOMINGTON, IL
ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN, NEW YORK, NY
ADVOCATES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABLING CONDITIONS IN ALLIED HEALTH, CHICAGO, IL
AIDS ACTION COUNCIL, WASHINGTON, DC AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF
SCIENCE, WASHINGTON. DC
AMERICAN CLEFT PALATE-CRANIOFACIAL ASSOCIATION, PITTSBURGH, PA
AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND, WASHINGTON, DC
AMERICAN SPINAL INJURY ASSOCIATION, CHICAGO, IL
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION, ATLANTA, GA
COUNCIL FOR ADVANCEMENT & SUPPORT OF EDUCATION, WASHINGTON, DC
DISABLED ABILITY RESOURCE ENVIRONMENT, EL PASO, TX
DISABILITIES RESOURCES, INC., CENTEREACH, NY
DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION AND DEFENSE FUND, BERKELEY, CA
EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA, LANDOVER, MD
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC
GAZETTE INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING INSTITUTE (G.I.N.I.), ST. LOUIS, MO
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL, INC., BETHESDA MD
HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE SOCIETY OF AMERICA, INC., NEW YORK, NY
JOSEPH P. KENNEDY JR. FOUNDATION, WASHINGTON, DC
KIDS ON THE BLOCK, COLUMBIA, MD
LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, PITTSBURGH, PA
MAINSTREAM MAGAZINE, SAN DIEGO, CA
NATIONAL AMPUTATION FOUNDATION, INC., MALVERNE, NY
NATIONAL ATAXIA FOUNDATION, WAYZATA, MN
NATIONAL BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION, WASHINGTON, DC
NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME CONGRESS, ATLANTA, GA
NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY, NEW YORK, NY
NATIONAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER, WASHINGTON, DC
NATIONAL INFORMATION CENTER ON DEAFNESS, WASHINGTON, DC
NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, ALEXANDRIA, VA
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION ON DISABILITY, WASHINGTON, DC
NATIONAL SPINAL CORD INJURY ASSOCIATION, CAMBRIDGE, MA
RRTC on DRUGS AND DISABILITY, DAYTON, OH
THE ARC of THE U.S., ARLINGTON, TX
THE ASSOCIATION FOR PERSONS WITH SEVERE HANDICAPS, (TASH), BALTIMORE, MD
THE DISABILITY RAG & RESOURCE, LOUISVILLE, KY
WORLD INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY OAKLAND, CA
----------------------------------------
Cheers!
--
Han Tacoma
[log in to unmask]
~ Artificial Intelligence is better than none! ~
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