To correct the teacher's wording? (Disability related homework)

[BerniceBroadside]

So, it's apparently disability awareness week at school. Jolly good. Little sods might learn that when they grow up they'll need to fold their pushchair if a wheelchair user wishes to board a bus.

However, we have homework which reads, 'List items which a disabled person might use to help them'.

WIBU to amend it to read PEOPLE with disabilities, or perhaps even PEOPLE with additional needs?

Probably worth being THAT parent?

As a parent of two children who have autism I would be more focused on what the school are trying to do rather than picking at whether the right term has been used, particularly when you see that there is quite some debate about what is the right term to use.

cansu could not agree more teaching children and making them aware of other people's difference s and disabilities is far more important than getting your knickers in a twist about wording

From a linguistic standpoint, it is interesting to me that disabled is preferred in order to emphasize that society imposes the disability, while handicapped is not acceptable, even though its etymology (from sports handicapping) suggests the same concept.

Handicapped is the word that developed in the US to replace crippled; I think it still does not have as heavy a negative connotation as it may have in the UK.

So we should say 'Elderly Care'. I'm now wondering what the new version of Geriatric Medicine (or Geriatrics) is called. Elderly Care Medicine? And a Geriatrician might be an Elderly Care Practicioner perhaps. Very hard to keep up.

By the way, my sister (a doc) hates to see the sign Disabled Toilets. She says the toilets should all be functioning properly! (She also hates seeing an Alarmed Door)

I wouldn't get offended by it but if some are offended I respect that and wouldn't use it.

My bugbear is when people say their child IS ASD.

To complicate matters further, in the US, "elder" is preferred over "elderly" because elderly is thought to have some negative connotations. So it would be Elder Care, although I think it's still ok here to say geriatric in a medical context.

Scone (and true, it DOES rhyme with gone, in Scotland anyway) an elder is a tree here, so Elder Care would seem to be something to do with the Forestry Commission.
And there is something here called elderberry wine. (!)

Scotland was where I learned to pronounce it.

which disabilities, anyway? the list is almost infinite with the question as it stands, as there are many types of disabilities!

In my case, generaly nothing extra other than a person to help me while we are out!

Disabled people is social model terminology, which is what the government use. The social model belief is that people have impairments and only become disabled when they encounter inaccessible elements in society. People with Disabilities, is associated with the essentialist model, that disability is part of the individual and can be remedied by medics. Some people find the latter as equally offensive as the former. Both are correct for different people, depending on how they conceptualize their disability. Unless you or DCs or DH has a disability and use and prefer the latter, I would leave it. It is very patronizing otherwise to dictate on this issue.

NB I work in disability rights field

I'm disabled myself, and have some issues with the Social Model. Yes, I am disabled and held back by society, by not having ramps, wider doors, items cluttering aisles, and a million other things.

But, I'm also disabled by my pain, my fatigue and anxiety, and all the other symptoms. No matter how accessible society is, that will still be the case.

The Social Model just feels a bit simplistic to me.

However, on topic, I do use people first language whenever possible, but usually in written form. It can be clunky in spoken word.

It's usually down to the individual. I wouldn't be at all offended by 'disabled person' though in reference to myself.

Marmite How does this notion that you only get disabled by society's failure to meet your needs work with severely disabled people though? Eg a friend of mine has a daughter who can't speak, feed herself, sit up, etc. Mental age of around 6m I would guess. She's wonderfully cared for and has access to all sorts of specialised transport, equipment, etc but how is she not disabled by her inherent disabilities? There's nothing society could possibly do to allow her to participate in the way that most of us can.

I've come across Camp hill communities. There aren't any people like my friend's DD there. She can't sit up or feed herself. How's she going to contribute to a community?

Purple it is down to the individual to decide what they prefer, FWIW in my research I critique the social model massively and the Med. model too as neither fully explain matters as Glitter has said. So it's hard to answer your question, because there are so many different views. If you are really interested, Tom Shakespere: Disability Rights and Wrongs is good on the types of issues you raise. Your local library will have it, it is a seminal text.

An individual is disabled by their medical condition no ramp or whatever is going to change that ever. Camphill community near me was investigated for neglect of residents 10 years ago I think it has got better

MrsJayy That is a very simplistic and quite offensive attitude tbh.

I am sorry if you are offended but it is how I feel sometimes comments like Disabled by society or correct teachers wording are offensive to people with medical conditions it is not looking at the idividual or the main purpose of disability awareness tbh

I agree, I get all the social/medical model arguments. I really wish society and the built environment was better adapted for me to get around.

But, at the end of the day, what really, really pisses me off is that my body doesn't work very well. And no amounts of ramps and aids is going to compensate for that. And it's kind of offensive for a theory, (the social model) to suggest that they would.

I wonder how being lifelong disabled versus having become disabled later in life (as an adult etc) versus being a parent of a disabled child influences opinions on the language and models of disability?

For me the social model works brilliant. Because you know I can never forget I have CP. But I have my coping strategies in place and I have my equipment and I know where is accessible and what help I can get. So it's only when I go somewhere new and it's not as described or lifts break down or help to get me off the train doesn't turn up that it becomes a problem. It's not upsetting or frustrating or difficult on a daily basis (well I guess it is difficult but it's my normal so it's not something I pay attention too) it's in the background influencing my life and is an important part of it but it's not something I'm conscious of continuously.

But I do think it's a lot easier to be disabled when you've literally never known any different.

"But I do think it's a lot easier to be disabled when you've literally never known any different."

maybe that depends on the level of the disability?
when you are born with a severe life long disability it is never ever easier

I'm now wondering what the new version of Geriatric Medicine (or Geriatrics) is called. Elderly Care Medicine? And a Geriatrician might be an Elderly Care Practicioner perhaps. Very hard to keep up.

Agree, and does this mean that Paediatrics becomes Young Care Medicine, Orthopaedics becomes Bone Care Medicine, Cardiology becomes Heart Care Medicine, etc, etc?

It all seems a bit daft, Geriatric is a medical term for umbrella conditions of aging.

Mine is relatively severe according to many people but I would tend to disagree with that - I now use a wheelchair all the time, usually a powerchair but I can transfer independently and wheel a manual around my house if I need too which is much more than some other disabled people. Levels of disability are quite subjective I guess.

I think you have a point Ziva. My condition is lifelong, but progressive. I had a long period of time when I was cool with my level of disability, I just accepted it as who I am, and part of my identity as a disabled person. But now I'm a bit older, and it's bit worse and more limiting, I get so fed up with it all. I feel worn out with it to be honest, I just want it to go away.