Words with Dignity

Courtesy of the Province of Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office.

Word with Dignity is also available in PDF format.

Use respectful terms when referencing people with disabilities

Use…person with diabetes, arthritis, etc.  
instead of…afflicted with, suffers from

Use…person with a disability  
instead of…the disabled, the handicapped

Use…person with a mental illness, person with a mental health issue
instead of…mentally ill, insane, crazy, psychotic

Use…person who is hard of hearing, person who is Deaf
instead of…the Deaf

Use…person who is Deaf-Blind
instead of…Deaf and dumb, Deaf mute

Use…person with Downs Syndrome, person with an intellectual disability, person with a developmental disability
instead of…Downs,imbecile, mentally retarded, mentally challenged

Use…person who is blind, person who is visually impaired
instead of…the blind

Use…person who stutters, person with a communication disability
instead of…stutterer, speech handicapped

Use…person with a mobility disability, person with a spinal cord injury
instead of…physically challenged, crippled

Use…person who uses a wheelchair
instead of…confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair bound

Use…accessible parking, accessible washrooms
instead of…handicapped parking, handicapped washrooms

Use…person without a disability
instead of…normal