Language

Hi,

Recently I've been reading in to ableist slurs/language and how it ends up in everyday conversations. It really struck me about how naive I've been when a. using this language myself and b. not realising when others are using it either towards me or others in the disabled community. it has been surreally eye opening for me to learn about this so I thought I would give you guys some of the key information I've learnt.

Please understand that most of the language that I'm about to use may not be classed as slurs but as ableist. You are not an automatic evil/horrible/anti disabled type of person if you use this language as a one off, it's when you,direct it to someone or use it when you fully understand the under laying meaning and, use it constantly:that's when you are classed as the list above. But it's worthwhile if you do intend to change the language you use every day life.

The saddest thing Is language is a powerful tool of oppression towards the disabled community. For those, me likewise, who are going to try and change the language they use, we can uncover the way we abuse the slurs into some sort of sick joke 

important note: Many people who identify with particular disabilities or disability in general may use words from this list in an act of reclaiming the language. You may well too! BUT if you do not identify with a particular disability/disabled identity, be sure that the person  you are with don't mind you using the terms as some may take personal offence to it and that's no good. 

Here are some common words you may joke about with and words that you could use instead 

Ableist language 

Blind to ____ / turn a blind eye to ____ .
Refers to Blind people or people with visual impairments

Confined to a wheelchair
Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities.

Crazy 
Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities/distress.

 Cripple/Crippled (by ____)

Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities. (Personally I am proud to use this when I'm describing myself!)

 Derp 
Refers to people with intellectual disabilities

Differently abled
Can refer to any person with a disability. (Come on! No need to sugar coat it! we all know we are disabled. Why not say that?)

Handicap(ped)
Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities. (Stop focusing on people's physical look their mind is so much better)

Imbecile
Refers to people with intellectual disabilities.

Insane or Insanity
Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities. (This one bugs me)

Lame
Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities

Mental/Mental Case
Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities. (No, the gig you went to wasn't 'mental')

Retard(ed)/[anything]-tard
Refers to people with intellectual disabilities. (This hurts)

Spaz(zed)

Refers to people with cerebral palsy or similar neurological disabilities. (Ugh)

Specially Abled
Can refer to any person with a disability. (Again why sugar coat it?)

 Special Needs

Usually refers to people with learning, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, but can mean any person with a disability. (....don't even get me started.........)

Suffers from ____
Can refer to any person with a disability. (We live with,not suffer)

Non ableist

Instead of the ableist terms when talking about a non disabled person you could mean to say 

 Boring

Coward

Disgusting

Evil

Horrible

Incomprehensible
Inconsiderate
Inconsistent
Infuriating
Insensible
Irrational

For describing people with disabilities/disabled people in general:
Disabled
Has a disability
With a disability
With a chronic health condition
Has a chronic health conditionNeurodivergent ( is the diversity of human brains and minds-used to describe people who are on the autism spectrum )

Neurotypical(opposite of Neurodivergent)

I hope this gives you an idea into how you can change the way you speak in order to be more inclusive and non offensive. 

Byeeeeeee

let's talk disability

Hi,

Just a quick post as thoughts are flowing around my head and I need to get them down somehow.

So Today at this very moment we are living in a very ableist society.From inaccessible buildings and public transport networks,to throwing the word 'retarded' around as if its a joke. Every time there is a speech with no sign language,or a leaflet with no braille option,we are excluding people.We are telling people that we do not care if they are present,we do not care if they exist. Disabled people are ignored so often in today's  society,and too often when they are acknowledged they are made out to be hopeless victims or the 'problem'.

We have to start talking about disability,talking and listening to those who are physically/mentally disabled and the close people around them. We need to stop turning disabled people into victims in the brief mentions that they receive and stop using disability as a metaphor for incompetence and inability. And this change wont happen overnight-it actually really needs starts with you.




Byeeeeeeee  

'disabled' parents.......

Hi,

So I wanted to write something a bit more personal to me,as although this is a unique situation for different people, its something that is fairly common-having disabled parents.
like I said before,when it comes to disability effecting families every case is different,my family is different to my friend's and its so simple yet not many get it.

My mum and I are both physically disabled (different disabilities). A lot of the things she can't do e.g. walk,I can (sort of) and vice versa -I guess we make a good team. but I think most importantly we understand what each other is going though so we can talk about pain and hospital and medications without having to imagine too much. I lied there's something way more important,scrap everything I've said the most important thing is that we are Mother and Daughter and have that relationship, that's way more important then anything else.

Now because we have that relationship we (mostly me) get on each others nerves, its natural and its usually because I forget my mum is disabled. For instance, I was upstairs in my room listening to music, and being the lazy person I am I didn't particularly want to walk downstairs just to get a drink. So I did what most pre-teenagers do and shouted "MUUUUUUMMMMMMMM, can I have a drink please" Completely and utterly forgetting the whole wheelchair and stairs thing...... yeah even I,the total disability aware geek, did that. Cut to the end of that story a very unhappy me had to stop listening to music to get my drink myself.   

Overall, having disabled parents is cool (apart from I can't use the 'But I'm disabled' card when I don't want to do something :/) I'm going to contradict myself, they are just parents  not disabled parents-they do exactly the same thing. 

Anyway that's all I want to type so,

byeeeeeeeeeee

Why?

Hi ,

So I saw this post on Instagram awhile back and it pretty much sums up a huge misconception about ableism

Sorry for the swearing i didn't make this,but I agree strongly 

This is all true and is happening somewhere right now, a misdiagnoses could mean you life is flipped upside down or something. Being afraid to speak, like trying to tell a teacher they are patronising you,can be agonising- I'm confident behind a screen but not so much face to face. Being not seen as human is just wrong. It's wrong.

Why are we hiding this?

Why?

WELCOME 2016

Hi, 


I hope you had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/winter solstice/*enter own religious/non-religious holiday here*and got everything thing you wanted out of the holiday season. For me it was a loooooonnnnnngggg rest from school, which I don't want to end just yet.


Anyway at this time of year a lot of people are thinking about the year ahead,which for many means that they dream up a list of resolutions that quite frankly won't last. Call me pessimistic and cynical all you like, just you  wait till mid January and your sitting there in your pyjamas eating Ben and Jerry's ice cream when your resolution was to not eat chocolate or something stupidly generic like that. We've all been there!!!!

To be honest for me new year resolutions are a bit stupid and fun; we all know I'm not going to stick to them if I write them down so maybe publishing them on the inter-web they are permanent-so I'll have to complete them.

So here is my list of eight New year resolutions


1. To be myself


2. Try to see old and new friends as often as possible


3. (This is lame but) reach the targets set in your SEN review

4.Take (sensible) risks- surprise yourself

5.Be more open about life as a disabled person offline

6.Carry on blogging!


7.Accept help you need, and don't be ashamed to admit that you do


8.take a step back when you need to and don't burn out no one minds you having a break



Why have I done this? I don't know but happy 2016 and thanks for reading my crazy thoughts on stuff that even I don't get!

Happy new year

Byeeeeeee