Just a girl

A couple of months ago I posted about the movement to end the “r” word. The movement, started by kids is called Spread the Word to End the Word. That post is Maggie World: Language Cop Redux (http://sfmaggie.blogspot.com/2010/02/language-cop-redux.html#links)


In case you do not know, the “r” word is “retard” or “retarded.” Many people use these words as a synonym for stupid. It makes me cringe. (The other day a sales clerk in Macys used it to describe a display of goods. She sounded idiotic.) Many think trying to police the language one uses is a dumb way to effect change. I disagree. Hearing that word used pejoratively works to reinforce bad stereotypes. Changing terminology alone will not change the world, but it is a start. In the words of Lao-Tzu, “’the longest journey begins with a single step.”

Because this is something I have always felt strongly about, even before I had Maggie in my life, I became a facebook “fan” of this movement and get interesting updates on this issue regularly. Today there was a link to a Community Newsletter piece written by Joe Greene and published the Journal Times in Racine, Wisconsin. This article hit the nail on the head for me. The following is an excerpt from that piece.

Unfortunately, what so many in our society fail to realize is that individuals with disabilities are not people who “suffer from the tragedy of birth defects.” They are not “victims” who must “fight” to “overcome their challenges.” They are not retarded, autistic, blind, deaf or learning disabled. They are people. They are moms and dads, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, students and teachers, employers and employees. They are people first.

Respectful and inclusive language is essential to the movement for the dignity and humanity of people with intellectual disabilities. Stop and think about it. All members of the human race are entitled to respect and dignity. When you use a word like retarded, even during casual conversation, it strips those with developmental disabilities of their dignity.

Words are powerful. Witness the power of the written word in newspaper print, electronically over the Internet or on television. What we say or write matters.

As society’s language changes, perceptions and attitudes will change — acceptance and respect for people with disabilities will evolve. Using people-first language is a huge step in the right direction to stop hurting others. People-first language is a respectful way of speech and puts the person before the disability. People-first language uses words all people understand.

Avoid words that are misleading or have negative connotations because they contribute to negative stereotypes and devalue the person being described. Some examples of these kinds of words include wheelchair-bound, mongoloid, deaf and dumb, mute, crippled, handicapped and defective.

Replace “handicapped” or “disabled” with “people with disabilities.” Change “He/she is retarded or a slow learner” to “He/she is a person with intellectual disabilities or cognitive disabilities or a learning disability.”

All my stories about Maggie and her friends are simply trying to get across the message Mr. Greene sums up so succinctly. She is just a girl who happens to have some physical disabilities and medical issues. Those issues make her approach to life different and sometimes interesting to those of us who approach things more typically, but they don’t define her or change who she is.

It really is simple. Use terminology that describes one as a person first and mention the disability only if it is relevant to the conversation. It is contagious. The person you are talking to will likely do the same and the negative connotation will start to disappear. It is a long journey, but it is a single step.

Entire article: http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/columnist/article_0f30b372-429f-11df-85ec-001cc4c03286.html if  you want to find out more about this go to http://www.r-word.org/.