Understanding Disability

Getting the Language Right

Canadians with disabilities are like everyone else. They find identity in the community and they rely on the community for support and understanding. The most common and acceptable term used when describing such a diverse population has now become ‘people with disabilities’ or ‘person with a disability’. The reasoning behind this convention may appear to be contrived but is nevertheless valid.

Representatives from various disability groups want the general population, their governments, and the media to understand that someone with a disability is a person first and foremost. Few, if any, of us welcome the notion of being defined by a single characteristic. The same holds true for people with disabilities. Terms such as ‘the blind’, ‘the handicapped’, and ‘the disabled’ have developed pejorative connotations.

These terms carry with them a notion of incompetence and dependence that is not justified. They also lend credence to the notion that “The Blind” is a homogenous group. This simply is not true. The wants and needs of the individuals within this group are as varied as any other population. There are degrees of visual impairment and therefore individual requirements.

There are other terms that have a negative connotation and which are in many cases incorrect. Consider ‘confined to a wheelchair’. A person who uses a chair is not confined to the chair any more than a non-disabled person is confined to his feet. The chair is a means for mobility.

The notion that people with disabilities exemplify noble human characteristics with their bravery and tenacity is unwarranted. They don’t exactly volunteer for such a role.

People with disabilities have enough to deal with without the added burden of being a paragon of virtue. Some people with disabilities have a lovely personality, some are nasty, some have a dynamic wit, others couldn’t find a punch line with a map; some have a positive outlook, some don’t. People with disabilities demonstrate the same range of human characteristics as everyone else.

People with disabilities have been described as “special”. This is often accompanied with a silky intonation that implies pity. People with disabilities are people who may have special needs, but as individuals they have the same hopes and desires as anyone else in this country. They may need accommodation to reach their goals and to fulfil their aspirations, but as is often pointed out: “We are not different than temporarily able bodied people”

The dictionary defines etiquette as “the rules of behaviour standard in polite society”. Most of us were raised with the admonition “It’s not polite to stare”. That piece of etiquette has not changed. Grace, sensitivity and common sense carries the day, even if a situation may be a bit awkward. When introduced to someone with a disability the normal social rituals apply. If you are meeting someone who has partial paralysis or cerebral palsy, his/her ability to perform a handshake may be limited; but if he/she makes the attempt, respond with a gentle handshake. If the attempt is not made, a friendly nod and smile followed by conversation will work just fine.

Attendants may be there to assist the person with a disability. In some cases they act as interpreters, but they do not control conversation. They are a conduit. Address yourself to the person with a disability, not to the attendant. The person with a disability is introduced first, then the attendant.

Do not presume a person with a disability is in need of assistance. Ask first. It may be stressful to watch people struggle with a simple task, but it is their choice to accept or decline assistance. Succeeding at a seemingly routine chore is proof of autonomy, and it should be respected.

Guide dogs are not pets. When they are in harness, they are working. Do not pet the dog. Most jurisdictions have made it legal for guide dogs to accompany the owner anywhere the owner goes.

People who have a hearing impairment communicate through a variety of means such as sign language, auditory aids, paper and pencil, lip reading or any combination of these. So speak in a normal voice. Shouting and exaggeration will only confuse the conversation. Keep a notepad and pen handy. And speak to the person not to the interpreter if one is present.

People with disabilities are acutely aware that they have some sort of limitation so it is not necessary to change the normal structure of conversation. A person who uses a wheelchair goes for walks, a person with a visual impairment reads books, and a person who is deaf hears jokes. The question once asked of a person with a visual impairment “Did you feel any good books lately?” is just too bizarre to be considered anything but an affront.

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