Ableism and Language
Language has a huge impact on society. It's used to communicate and express a range of opinions, thoughts, ideas, attitudes, etcetera. The right words can also be the difference between someone feeling included or excluded, represented or invisible. Certain words and phrases can also have an offensive or violent history attached to them. A lot of words that are considered minor insults today are actually deeply ableist, but widespread knowledge of their origins has faded over time.
Below is a list of words you may not realize are ableist and should be avoided. The list is by no means exhaustive, and it is highly recommended that anyone looking to learn more about ableist language visit Autistic Hoya — A blog by Lydia X. Z. Brown and Self-Defined. Both are excellent resources and Autistic Hoya also provides suggested replacements for ableist words and phrases. And if you'd really like to get better about avoiding ableist language, please consider donating to The Ableist Jar.
- Crazy: Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities.
- Cripple or crippled by: Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities.
- Deaf to or turn a deaf ear to: Refers to d/Deaf or hard of hearing people.
- Derp (or similar variations): Sounds meant to mock vocalizations that people with intellectual disabilities are stereotyped as making.
- Diffability, differently abled, or different abilities: Can refer to any person with a disability, and is usually a euphemistic phrase to avoid saying "disability" or "disabled.
- Dumb: Refers to d/Deaf or hard of hearing people, people with speech-related disabilities, or people with linguistic or communication disabilities.
- Handicap, handicapped, or handicapble: Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities, and is usually a euphemistic phrase to avoid saying "disability" or "disabled."
- Idiot or idiotic: Refers to people with intellectual disabilities.
- Imbecile: Refers to people with intellectual disabilities.
- Insane or insanity: Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities.
- Lame: Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities.
- Lunatic: Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities.
- Maniac: Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities.
- Moron or moronic: Refers to people with intellectual disabilities.
- Nuts (or similar terms): Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities.
- Retard or retarded: Refers to people with intellectual disabilities.
- Spaz, spazzed, or spastic: Refers to people with cerebral palsy or similar neurological disabilities.
- Specially-abled: Can refer to any person with a disability. Usually a euphemistic phrase to avoid saying "disability" or "disabled."
- Special Needs: Usually refers to people with learning, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, but can mean any person with a disability. Usually a euphemistic phrase to avoid saying "disability" or "disabled."
- Stupid: Refers to people with intellectual disabilities.
