Please don't erase the activism of older disabled generations by stating that pfl was solely forced via abled folk.

There are disabled roots to pfl.

Ik, I had to catch myself too.

It was misappropriated by abled folk in that now they're tryna cram it down our throats without actually discussing with us what our current preferences (predominantly ifl, although it can vary individually) are.

For clarity:

Pfl: person first language
ex: person with disabilities, ect

Ifl: identity first language
ex: disabled person, ect

At the time, pfl was a way for disabled folk to identify themselves in a positive light for the first time. Prior, it was predominantly clinical terms & derogatories. Language that greeted folk with limitations rather than opportunities.

Different communities adapted in different ways as well.

Like how Deaf communities took more to ifl moving forward, which the autistic community would later follow with (aut culture has Deaf influences, respect that).

While folk with Down Syndrome continued to embrace pfl.

ALSO, this *should* go without saying, someone identifying themselves with pfl doesn't inherently mean internalized ableism. That could just very well be a prefrence, And That Should Be Respected.

Disabled liberation can't exist if folk can't choose how they want to be uplifted.

I have seen way too many dog pilings over folk identifying *themselves* as a person with autism please stop.

Also also, there are naturally linguistic differences. There are enough languages where things translate to PwD being the preferred term for the disabled population for that to be something to be mindful of.

Context is golden.