People with Disabilities in Ireland
4th Floor Jervis House
Jervis Street
Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 87 21 74 4
Fax: 01 87 21 77 1
Email: info@pwdi.ie
Terminology
Incorrect terminology can give offence. Here is a list of preferred words and phrases when writing or speaking about people with disabilities
People with disabilities, disabled people
NOT the disabled, the handicapped
Non-disabled person NOT normal, able-bodied, healthy.
Person with learning difficulties
NOT mentally handicapped, retarded, thick, stupid.
Blind person, visually impaired person, partially sighted person NOT the blind.
Deaf person, the deaf community, hard of hearing, partially deaf NOT the deaf, deaf and dumb.
Person with epilepsy NOT epileptic.
Mental health system user/survivor, person with mental health impairment NOT mentally ill, mad, dangerous schizophrenic, mentally handicapped.
Wheelchair user NOT wheelchair bound.
Physically disabled person, person with physical impairment NOT cripple.
Woman/man with sickle cell NOT sickle cell sufferer.
HIV positive, person with HIV NOT AIDS carrier.
Person with arthritis NOT crippled with arthritis, arthritic.
Person with Cerebral Palsy NOT spastic.
Person with dyslexia, dyslexic NOT wordblind, can't spell.
Unaware, does not understand the information, does not listen NOT blind to the truth, stupid, deaf to reason.
Accessible parking space NOT disabled parking space.
Accessible toilets NOT disabled toilets.
Accessible entrance NOT disabled entrance.
Accessible housing NOT disabled housing.
Person with Down's Syndrome NOT mongol, spastic.
Carer NOT personal assistant (unless they are employed).
More information on this topic is available at: www.presswise.org.uk
<< Previous Article | Next Article >> | List of Articles | Back To News Page