Did you know that discrimination against people with disabilities has a name? Ableism is a form of discrimination that is often left out in conversations about social justice even though it is deeply embedded in our culture.

Ableism is discrimination and prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that non-disabled people are superior and that disability is a flaw, something to be fixed or overcome, or something that makes a person less human. While this may sound extreme and easy to recognize, ableism often takes form in small, discreet, and unintentional ways.

One of the ways that ableism shows up in every day life is through language. We can fight against ableism simply by changing the language we use. Below are some common ableist words and phrases to avoid, as well as replacement suggestions.

Examples of common phrases to avoid and what to use instead

• Instead of “Blinded by...” or “Turn a blind eye to...” try saying “My bias meant that I...”
• Instead of “Confined to a wheelchair” or “Wheelchair-bound” try using “Wheelchair user” or “Uses a wheelchair”
• Instead of “Turn a deaf ear to...” try using “Didn’t pay attention to...”
• Instead of “Suffers from...” or “Impaired by...” a disability, try using “He has a disability” or “He is disabled”
• Instead of “Hearing-impaired” use “hard of hearing”
• Instead of “Vision-impaired” use “low vision”
• Instead of “She has special needs” or “She is differently abled” say “She has a disability” or “She is disabled”

Other common sayings to remove

• “He belongs on the short bus” or other jokes related to short buses

Examples of common words to avoid

• Crazy
• Crippled
• Insane
• Retarded
• Derp or derpy
• Spaz or spazzy
• Dumb
• Handicapped
• Idiot or idiotic
• Lame
• Imbecile
• Lunatic
• Moron or moronic
• Nuts
• Psycho or psychotic
• Stupid

Examples of words to use instead

• Wild
• Bananas
• Asinine
• Ignorant
• Upset
• Bad
• Careless
• Inconsiderate
• Mean
• Careless
• Nonsensical
• Ridiculous
• Vile
• Gross
• Reckless
• Vapid
• Pathetic

Person-first or identity-first language

The disability community is not a monolith and there is no one way to refer to people with disabilities. Some people prefer person-first language such as “person with autism” or “person with disability.” Other prefer identity-first language such as “autistic” or “disabled.” If someone tells you what they prefer, then use that preference.