Words can be empowering. They can inspire and motivate us to change the world. When words are harsh, cruel or careless, you can’t take them back and you can’t take back the potential harm they may cause.

People with disability often hear language that is very much negative. A lot of the time the negative language used isn’t as a result of someone trying to be harsh or cruel, it is used with a lack of understanding.  Language has changed over time, a lot of generations still use language that was, at the time, acceptable. It is not out of disrespect or to harm or insult people, it is simply out of a lack of understanding.

Tips for talking about a persons disability:

For further information follow the link to ‘A guide to language about disability’ by People with Disability Australia (PWDA). https://pwd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/PWDA_LanguageGuide_A5_WEB.pdf