Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
Disability Language Guide
Photo Credit: Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service
Image Description: Three students (a man carrying a flag, a man using a wheelchair, and a
woman speaking with hand gestures) have a conversation while walking on a Stanford road.
Language is dynamic and nuanced, changing at a rapid pace at along with social norms,
perceptions, and opportunities for inclusion. The following, written by Labib Rahman and
reviewed and approved by the Stanford Disability Initiative, is a starter guide (non-exhaustive,
non-definitive) for considering disability equity (and practicing deference to individual
experiences) in the words we use as an institutional community. Published July 2019.
Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
Words matter
The words we use to describe individuals with disabilities matters. According to the World
Health Organization, the disability community is the largest minority group in the world:
around 10% of the world's population, or 650 million people, live with a disability making the
disability community the largest minority group in the world. Although there is not a
monolithic language style preference shared across all the people who have a disability, it
remains important to use respectful and inclusive language when communicating with or
talking about people with disabilities.
1. Be mindful of the diversity in the disability community
Disability is diverse both in terms of conditions and the people who have them. With all the
differences in cultures, languages, genders, beliefs, and environments, remember that it is
possible for two people with the same diagnosis or circumstance to feel completely
differently about their disability.
2. Ask individuals what language they would like used to describe their disability
If someone is willing to disclose their disability, it is best to ask them how they want you to
refer to (or not refer to) their disability. In addition to word choice, it is important to note that
people may want different levels of disclosure. In other words, some people may feel more
comfortable discussing their disabilities than others or may feel differently about disclosure
in different situations.
3. Learn about the two major linguistic preferences to address disability
Putting the person first, as in “people with disability,” is called people-first language. It is
commonly used to reduce the dehumanization of disability. Another popular linguistic
prescription is the identity-first language, as in “disabled people.” Many use this style to
celebrate disability pride and identity or simply because they prefer this. There is no
unanimity on which is the more respectful style, it comes down to personal preference. One
suggested middle-ground is to use these two styles interchangeably to acknowledge and
respect the individual preferences of an exceptionally diverse group of people.
Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
4. Avoid condescending euphemisms
Terms like differently-abled, challenged, and handi-capable are often considered
condescending. By shying away from mentioning disability, we may reinforce the notion that
disability is something of which to be ashamed. The word special is a particularly entrenched
because it can be used as a euphemism but also may be utilized technically (e.g., “special
education”). There is a desire to move away from this word. However, there is also
acknowledgement that terms such as “special needs” are uniquely situated to introduce non-
disabled parents and loved ones of children with disabilities to a rich and complex world of
disability access, inclusion, accommodation rights, and systems of support.
5. Avoid offensive language – even as a joke
Examples of offensive terms: mad, freak, psycho, retard, lame, imbecile, crazy. Don’t call
someone “a retard” or “retarded” if they do something silly, unwise, thoughtless, short-
signed, dangerous, ill-advised, frustrating, etc. Other examples include asking someone
jokingly, “Are you deaf/blind?” “Can’t you see/hear?”
6. Describing people without disabilities
Do not use words that suggest undesirable stereotypes of people with disability. When
describing people without disabilities, don’t use terms like normal, healthy, able-bodied.
Instead, use “non-disabled” or “people without visible disabilities.” Such terms are more
accurate, because we often cannot tell whether someone has a disability just by their
physical appearance.
7. Not all disabilities are illnesses and not all people with disabilities are patients
People with disabilities can be healthy even if they have a chronic condition like diabetes. It is
only appropriate to refer to someone as a patient in a medical setting, regardless of their
disability status.
It is also important to recognize that wellness is an individual endeavor: people with
disabilities experience wellness, physical/health fitness, and recreational activities at myriad
levels. No person, regardless of ability or desire to participate in wellness activities, is more or
less deserving of dignity and respect.
Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
8. People with disabilities simply living their lives do not exist to inspire others
Successful disabled people should be celebrated in much the same way as successful non-
disabled people are. Depicting everyone with a disability in unsophisticated, feel-good ways
for touching the hearts and opening the minds of non-disabled people is both objectifying
and degrading. In her TedX talk, Stella Young dubbed this concept “inspiration porn.”
9. Do not mention someone’s disability unless it is essential to the story
It is OK to identify a person’s disability when it is necessary for clarity or provides important
information. For instance, “Virali, who uses a wheelchair, spoke about her experience with
using accessible transportation” is totally fine, since it adds a new layer to the story. In other
instances, the disability may be irrelevant. For example, do not say, “Charles, who has a
congenital disability, wants more sugar in his caramel espresso.”
Now let’s shed some respectful light on a few commonly-used terms.
Commonly-used Terms
Preferred Language
Able-bodied, Normal
Use “non-disabled” or “person without
disability.”
Referring to someone who does not have a
disability as a “normal person” implies that
people with disabilities are strange or odd.
Use “normal” only in medical/scientific
context such as “normal test result” or
“normal growth.”
Abnormal
Use “atypical”, “disabled person” or “person
with disability.”
Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
Use abnormal only in a medical/scientific
setting like “abnormal curvature of bone.”
Avoid using the word “abnormal” to
describe people.
Addict, Alcoholic, Junkie
Use “someone with a drug/alcohol
addiction” or “someone with alcoholism.”
Addiction is a neurobiological disease which
“impaired control over drug use, compulsive
use, and continued use despite harm and/or
craving.”
Use “recovery and/or remission” when
someone is trying to get out their addiction.
Blind
Use “blind” for someone who has complete
loss of sight.
Use “legally blind” for someone who has
almost complete loss of sight.
Use “limited vision,” “low vision,” “partially
sighted,” “visually impaired” for someone
who is neither legally or completely blind.
Note: Some people object to “visually
impaired” as it characterizes the condition
in terms of lacking.
Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
Brain-damaged
Use “person with a brain injury.”
Defect, Defective
Use “person with a congenital disability,”
“person living with congenital disability.”
When describing a disability, avoid “defect”
or “defective” as they imply the person is
sub-par or incomplete.
Mad, Psycho, Deranged, Retarded
Use “people with mental illness.”
Cripple, Crip
Avoid unless someone wants to be
described as such.
Although some disability activists have
reclaimed the terms, there are many others
who consider them offensive, so allies and
non-disabled people should not use them
out of respect.
Deaf
Use “deaf and hard of hearing community”
when referring to the community of people
with all kinds of hearing loss.
Use capitalized “Deaf” when referring to
Deaf culture and the community of Deaf
people.
Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
Use “partial hearing loss” or “partially deaf”
for those who have some hearing loss.
Avoid “deaf and dumb” and “deaf-mute”
since people with speech and hearing
disabilities can express themselves “in
writing, through sign language, and in other
ways.” [NCDJ] The term “hearing impaired”
is also not recommended.
Differently-abled, Special, Gifted
Use “person with disability” or “disabled
person” instead.
Terms like “differently-abled,” although
well-meaning, can be received as
“condescending, offensive or simply a way
of avoiding talking about disability” [NCDJ].
Vertically challenged, Midget
Use “dwarf,” “someone with dwarfism/short
stature” or “little person.”
Handicap, Handicapped
When describing a person, use “person with
a disability” or “disabled person” instead.
Regulations or places like “handicapped
parking” are generally acceptable. However,
it’s more preferred to use the terms like
“accessible parking.”
Written by Labib Rahman and Reviewed by the Stanford Disability Initiative Board
Special needs
“Functional needs” is preferred.
The term “special” in connection to people
with disabilities runs the risk of
euphemistically stigmatizing disabled
people’s differences. The notion is that
despite differences in everyone’s needs,
referring to the needs of only disabled
people as “special” carries an infantilizing
connotation.
Suffers from/victim of/stricken with
Use of neutral language like “they have/are
living with muscular dystrophy” is preferred
to “they suffer from muscular dystrophy.”
A general rule of thumb is to avoid terms
that “connote pity” [AP Stylebook].
Wheelchair-bound
Use “wheelchair user” or “person who uses
a wheelchair.”
Mental Retardation
Use “person with an intellectual disability.”
Sources National Center on Disability and Journalism, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
AP Stylebook
