Can you give other politically correct words to address disabled sector aside from the "usual"?

Question

Usual like differently abled, marginalized sector

Answer 1

I think it's okay to address them with the new PC words, but you must be careful in the way you say it or put into context. I do agree that disabled people don't want these issues to be what defines them as a whole person. So I think as long as you don't make a big deal about it around the person and try to make them feel as human as possible than it's good :)

P.S. And I don't see a problem with these labels be used as nouns as well as adjectives. I mean it's only very recently that people have rethought the stigmas and prejudices of the disabled people that we still need some time to get over it so any little baby step helps.

Answer 2

I tend to think a lot of the usual are good like:

Differently abled
Physically/Mentally challenged
people with handicaps

One sure no-no is to use a noun form of a handicap, culture, or difference and use it as a label. In other words, don't call someone a cripple, a colored, an autistic, a transgender, etc. Using the adjective form is better as in calling someone a transgendered person rather than a transgender. Of course, the "X with Y" formula above may be even better. The goal is to recognize someone's humanity and personhood before whatever makes them different. Another formula, though more clunky would be, "A person who happens to have/be/do X." Ie., a person who happens to be gay, a person who happens to have Aspergers, a person who happens to ride a bicycle everywhere.

There are exceptions to avoiding turning conditions into nouns. A person may prefer to use such a label for themselves. They may use it for reclamation value or shock value. Or it may just be easier to say. It also depends on the context. When it comes to orientations and cultural identities, people often call themselves nouns such as, "I'm an American," or "I'm a transsexual." Some feel that using the "x with y" formula or the adjective form dilute their identity. There are some people with autism who prefer being called autistics since they have pride in their autism and consider it an integral part of who they are. I read about where AIDS patients rejected the "people with AIDS" label, saying that played down the suffering that the term "AIDS victim" recognized.

Answer 3

My comment : DON'T use correct words because they are "Politically Correct". Use correct words because they are dignifying to a person. Person first language is fine. There is NO NEED to find "other pc words" As someone pointed out - "a child with autism" rather than "an autistic kid"

Mention disability only if relevant. I have a friend who has muscular dystrophy. He uses a powerchair. When I introduce him I simply say "This is Simon" His wheelchair is pretty obvious so there is no need to mention his disability. He KNOWS he has a disability. He needs total help with everything. He is NOT "differently abled" or "challenged" - he is totally incapable and he KNOWS this.

There are NO "other politically correct words " you asked for. Just use words that give dignity and value to the person.

Answer 4

I don't like" politically correct" how about , this is my friend JoJo, JoJo this is my friend BoBo.
And we just do what we can do together.
Why would I have to address my friends as anything other than friends?
Anyone that meets them will know, sooner or later.
I certainly don't want my Aunt who happens to have Polio and drags her leg, to introduce me as the black sheep of the family and that I am a really nice person with a few issues, if you'd only give me a chance.
Get real, we all have our disabilities, some worse than others.
Some more devastating than others.
Can we just treat eachother as the person we meet, when we meet?
It's alot easier to see that my Aunt drags her leg, than it is to see that I drag my emotions.
Gee, who would you like to know?
An emotional cripple or a physical cripple.
Not that I am a cripple.
I just used that as an example.
And had it not been for that Aunt, I could be curled up somewhere.
So how about we stop thinking up names to discribe eachother and call one another by our given names.

Answer 5

People first language... I work with people who have specific care needs. This is my friend tom vs. this is my disabled friend tom. Unless you are in a situation where the disability needs to be acknowledge, talk about people with disabilities just as people. Hi this is sue, we work together. If sue is in a wheelchair this is already obvious, why give her a "special title" to draw more attention rather than treating her like everyone else.

Answer 6

Politically correct is x who has y so my child who has autism rather than my autistic child. That way the disability is ackowledged, but does not define who the person is.

By the way people who have autism are not cripples and are actually more intelligent than most "normal" people for anyone who thinks ascoile's view is as hilariously funny as he thinks it is

Answer 7

Just remember to put the Person first, i.e. a person with a disability, or people with different abilities, etc.

Answer 8

Being disabled I have no problem with Handicapped, or whatever. I prefer to be addressed by my name and then my disability.

Answer 9

First you use their name. If it is necessary you say they have a handicap. What you do not do is to call them a cripple. I only have one leg but I am not crippled by this as you would soon find out if we met.

Answer 10

Not sure if this counts in your "usual" or not, but I've always thought "differently abled" was an extremely thoughtful, PC term to use.