Words with Dignity

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Use respectful terms when referencing people with disabilities

Use…person with diabetes, arthritis, etc.
instead of…afflicted with, suffers from

Use…person with a disability
instead of…the disabled, the handicapped

Use…person with a mental illness, person with a mental health issue
instead of…mentally ill, insane, crazy, psychotic

Use…person who is hard of hearing, person who is Deaf
instead of…the Deaf

Use…person who is Deaf-Blind
instead of…Deaf and dumb, Deaf mute

Use…person with Downs Syndrome, person with an intellectual disability, person with a developmental disability
instead of…Downs,imbecile, mentally retarded, mentally challenged

Use…person who is blind, person who is visually impaired
instead of…the blind

Use…person who stutters, person with a communication disability
instead of…stutterer, speech handicapped

Use…person with a mobility disability, person with a spinal cord injury
instead of…physically challenged, crippled

Use…person who uses a wheelchair
instead of…confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair bound

Use…accessible parking, accessible washrooms
instead of…handicapped parking, handicapped washrooms

Use…person without a disability
instead of…normal