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“If we believe people with mental illness should not be in our workplace, life, family, or neighborhood, then, it’s easier to rationalize using ableist words,” Brown said. Brown, a disability justice advocate, told me that our attitudes towards disability show up in the language we use. When we verbally describe the things, experiences, and people around us we are also assigning value to them and that value impacts how we interact with each other.Ībleist language largely influences us in three ways: 1) It reveals our unconscious biases. Language is a tool we use to make sense of our feelings and environment. I reached out to several disability rights advocates for their insights.
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My intent is not to shame anyone, it is to help more people understand how to identify and stop using words and phrases that reinforce ableism. At the same time, too many people continue to casually spew ableist language to ridicule, criticize, or dismiss others. Just like some historically racist, sexist, and derogatory terms have been retired, so have a handful of ableist slurs that were used to dehumanize, stigmatize, and institutionalize people in the past. Our words, and the reasons why we choose them, reflect the times we live in. When it comes to language, ableism often shows up as metaphors (“My boyfriend is emotionally crippled.”), jokes (“That comedian was hysterical!”), and euphemisms (“He is differently abled.”) in conversation.Īs a journalist with a background in media studies, I spend a lot of time thinking about language and the words we choose to express ourselves. It can manifest as an attitude, stereotype, or an outright offensive comment or behavior. People use ableist words and phrases everyday without realizing the harm they do.Ībleism is defined as discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. You may be surprised to learn that your response was a form of discrimination. If you said it was “stupid,” “insane,” “crazy,” “lame,” or “dumb,” you have (unknowingly or not) participated in spreading ableist language. Later that evening, as you explain what happened to your partner, how do you describe your friend’s point of view? To your surprise, her opinion is the complete opposite of your own. Try this thought experiment: You’re sitting at your desk, when your friend texts you an article about a topic you’re passionate about.