List of disability-related terms with negative connotations

The following is a list of terms which have been in use in recent history to describe disabled people or their disabilities, but which are regarded as offensive or inappropriate by some disabled and non-disabled people. Levels of acceptance of the terms below vary with geography, and have varied over time; in addition attitudes to this issue vary from person to person. Some disabled people are choosing to reclaim certain offensive terms, using them to describe themselves, with high-impact effect; however, that does not mean that disabled people will necessarily accept any of the following terms (unless they suggest otherwise).

Conversely, some people are offended by the avoidance of the use of some of the following terms, feeling that euphemising the more generic lay-terminology is itself degrading. Furthermore, there is no term that everyone will accept; all terms can be viewed as having negative connotations, depending on interpretation. There is no evidence that disabled people themselves prefer, for example, developmentally disabled to handicapped - this is merely the claim made by a certain subset of people who claim to represent the views of disabled people.

• Crippleused as a general term for a physically disabled person. In its shortened form 'crip', often used by impish disabled people as a term of endearment. See also the essay 'on being a cripple' by Nancy Mairs
• Handicappedor "Handicapper" used as a general term for a disabled person, and Handicapas a generic term for a disability. This term is also preferred by many disabled people.
• Joeyused as a derogatory term for someone with Cerebral Palsy(see Joey Deacon)
• Maniac generally used disparagingly to describe non-disabled people, with no regard to the actual situation of individuals with bipolar disorderand related conditions.
• Mentally retardedused to describe someone with a learning disability, a significantly low IQ, and/or developmental disability (and Mental retardationto describe their disability), although at least in the U.S., these terms are still in use even among professionals
• Midget
• Mongol or mongoloid for someone with Down syndrome
• Retardor Retardedused to describe someone with a learning disability (and retardationto describe their disability) - Retard is used as a common insult by members of the public with insufficient understanding of the condition or its meaning of both sufferers and average people.
• Schizo or Schizoid used to describe people that have been labelled by the medical industrial complex as "schizophrenic," also used to insult supposedly non-disabled people who act in "unacceptable" or "unpredictable" ways
• Slowor Slow learner used to describe someone with a learning disability
• Spastic, referring to someone with Cerebral Palsy(shortened/altered forms such as Spaz, Spazzy, Spack or Spackhead are regarded as particularly offensive by many, especially with the incorrect derrogatory use of these terms to describe any people who react differently from others to external stimuli)
• Specialor Special Ed- Might be interpreted as patronising; conversely, it is still accepted by many in the disabled community
• The Disabled, The Blind etc. are objected to by many; "disabled people", "blind people" may be considered slightly better; "people with disabilities", "people who are blind" might be preferred instead. On the other hand, some use "The Blind" in a manner similar to Deaf culture, as they see themselves as a valid subculture separate from "The Sighted", and "The Disabled" or "The Disabled Community" is used similarly as well. This is an area of some controversy.
• Wheelchair-bound for someone who uses a wheelchair

Terms that may not be accepted in the future

• Developmentally disabled - implies the issue is slow development rather than cognition. Similar to saying retarded.
• Intellectually disabled - implies the issue is intellegence, as if people with disablilities are stupid.
• Disabled - emphasises what the person cannot do
• Differently Abled - stigmatizes disabled people as "different" than "normal" people.

See also

• disability etiquette

References

• Disability etiquette: appropriate language and behavior
• Terminology tips
• A Way With Words: guidelines for the portrayal of people with a disability

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List+of+disability-related+terms+with+negative+connotations Wikipedia article List of disability-related terms with negative connotations.