EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of October being Disabilities Awareness Month, UNMC Today will run a series of articles this week related to disabilities awareness.
Human beings deserve respect. We are human first, not a blue-eyed person or an old person or a disabled person.
Person First Language eliminates the use of antiquated, negative terms such as birth defect and handicapped.
With person first language — always put the person first, and if it is necessary to speak of a person’s disability, that always is secondary, i.e., a person with a disability.
Person first language is not about political correctness — it is an attitude that says, “We are not our disabilities.”
People are not victims of a disability; people are victims of attitudes and discrimination.
View the chart below to see examples of person first language.
