A brief thread on ableist words in writing, so cw for that.

So one of the things I've realized since I started consciously rejecting ableist words in writing is that my writing has gotten immeasurably better and more precise. (I do love precise writing, it makes me happy.)

1/

For example: rather than saying someone is doing something 'blindly,' I now have to select a better, more precise word for their behavior.

Are they doing something bc they're ignoring the realities, or bc they're not aware of risks, or bc they're actually unable to see?
2/

These nuances matter! Consider:

"She engaged the topic uninformedly, and looked foolish."
"She heedlessly rushed ahead and chose a solution."
"He stumbled away from the house, blinded by the blizzard."
3/

The difference between doing something recklessly, ill-advisedly, or physically blinded by something, is not a small one, and by removing that ableist word, you have to think about what you're REALLY trying to say with that word.

4/

Ableist words are a linguistic crutch.

When you work to eliminate them from your speech, you write more precisely.

Something's stupid? Is it really foolish, or a waste of your time, or ill-advised?
5/

Something's lame? Is it actually, or is it bad, frustrating, not a good time, or literally anything that's a better description of what's really going on in that situation?

Remove those words as a crutch and become a better communicator.
6/

If you haven't already started scooping those words out of your vocabulary because they're hurtfulto other human beings, then eliminate them from your speech and writing because they make you a more effective writer and a better communicator.

7/

You have the capacity to be better than that linguistic crutch you've been using.

Prove it.

8/8

You know what's funny is that I wrote this and was initially very happy with it, and here I am, a person who sometimes uses a cane, talking about a crutch like it's a bad thing.

So let me rephrase, & prove my own point: ableist words and phrases are a lazy linguistic shortcut.

They put you in the position of expressing something in an imprecise way that doesn't actually fully explain your idea, using a shorthand that doesn't actually tell people exactly what you mean.

It's not great! And it's hard work to take this stuff out of your speech.