Simi, I'm also interested in when "people first" language came into
circulation. Over the next couple of months I am to write a paper on
the subject designed to generate discussion for a series of roundtables
we (the Roeher Institute) intend to organize with policy-makers,
self-advocates, and other disability activists. Our aim is to motivate
them to change from the people-first lexicon to language that fits with
a social model. This will be a daunting task. As Maria and Tanis
recently indicated on this list, the people-first language is very, very
entrenched in the Canadian context, with activists and government
officials alike upholding it.
Does anyone have particulars on when "people-first" language became
hegemonic in Canada? One suggestion has been that this coincided with
the movement for deinstitutionalization and "normalization". I would
appreciate whatever information anyone could offer on this. Thanks.
Best regards, Shelley
Shelley Tremain, PhD,
L'Institut Roeher Institute,
Kinsmen Building,
York University,
4700 Keele Street,
North York, ON, Canada
M3J 1P3
Simi Linton wrote:
>
> > This is a language question and probably for US
> folks. I am trying to remember when i first started
> (and others) using the term people with disabilities
> can someone help me. I think it was in mid to late
> 70's. ('77-78)
> Was it called "people-first" language when it first
> started being used, or was that added later? Also, who
> labeled it as such? Was it medical people, or the
> community?
> Prior to "people with disabilities" what did we
> (insiders) say? I think (and this was early in my
> disability career), I said handicapped. ACtually,
> even then I avoided the term.
> Also, I remember hearing "crip" and "cripple" used
> affectionately (or maybe "causally" is a more
> accurate way to say this) in 1975 when i first went to
> berkeley. Do people remember when that began, and was
> it initially solely a west coast phenomenon? When did
> it show up in NY and elsewhere?
> Thanx a bunch. Simi linton
>
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