Don't say disabled people

Dear editor:

I can't help but immediately become distracted when somebody talks or writes about "disabled people" or "the handicapped." I always stop listening in mid-conversation, or stop reading, as I am taken back about just how many do not realize what is coming out of their mouth.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), one in five, or about 50 million Americans, has at least one disability. I myself am a 23-year-old individual with multiple disabilities. I cannot describe the feeling that comes over me when somebody describes me as having a "disease" or a "sickness." I have a syndrome.

One does not have a "problem" walking, they use braces to help them walk, or one is not "confined to" or "wheelchair bound," they use a wheelchair/mobility chair.

See the person, not the disability. Remember that a disability descriptor is merely a medical diagnosis and people-first language simply puts the person before the disability. When we see the diagnosis as the most important characteristic of a person, we devalue her/him as an individual. Do YOU want to be known for your psoriasis, gynecological history, the warts on your behind, or any other condition?

Keep in mind that your children and grandchildren also hear and pick up on your language and behaviors. Be a good example to them as you encounter those with disabilities because it will happen for the rest of their lives.

I hope that in the future, there are more individuals using the phrase "people with disabilities" rather than, "disabled people" or "the handicapped" as choice of words are noticed far more than you realize.

-- Cami Smith