Language has long been used to dehumanize or marginalize people with disabilities. Ableist language shows up in different ways: as metaphors, jokes, or euphemisms.
- While ableism exists beyond the words we use, in structures and policies, our vocabularies can help us how we think and behave with people around us.
- We spoke to four disability rights activists to know why our words matter, how they influence our biases, thoughts, and behaviors and what we can do to check them.
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Try this thought experiment: You’re sitting at your desk, when your friend texts you an article about a topic you’re passionate about. You read it and ask her what she thinks. To your surprise, her opinion is the complete opposite of your own. This obviously upsets you. Later that evening, as you explain what happened to your partner, how do you describe your friend’s point of view?
