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Reminder: 
disabled isn't a bad word!
A thread on disability-related language to avoid. Disabled friends, please feel free to chime in with thoughts, including disagreement!
disabled isn't a bad word! A thread on disability-related language to avoid. Disabled friends, please feel free to chime in with thoughts, including disagreement!
normal: I see this used in sentences like, "In patients with lupus, [something], but in normal people [something else]." Normal indicates that disabled folks are inherently abnormal. Alternatives to this depend on context.
able-bodied: not super egregious, but it ignores mental health and learning disabilities. Instead, try non-disabled, not disabled, or abled.
differently-abled or handicapable: these are euphemisms used to avoid saying disabled, which makes it seem like being disabled is a bad thing. We know we're capable! Use disabled instead.
special accommodations: I see this on registration forms, as in, "Do you require any special accommodations?" "Special" is unnecessary and sets up the same issues as "normal."
wheelchair-bound: mobility aids (including wheelchairs) support independence and freedom, and there are ambulatory wheelchair users. You can say "she uses a wheelchair" or "she is a wheelchair user" instead.
suffer: be cautious if you're using this to describe other people, like, "He suffered from hearing loss," because that makes an assumption about their feelings. Some people might use this language for their own conditions ("I suffer from chronic pain"), which is ok!
What other words or phrases make you cringe?
