Disability Stories

While many members of identity groups prefer person-first language (such as “Black people” rather than “Blacks” or “Jewish people” rather than “Jews,”), especially when being referenced from outside of the group, there is open debate in the disability community over “person-first” vs. “identity-first” language. Examples of identity-first language include Blind, Deaf, and Autistic as opposed to “people with disabilities” or “girl with autism.” The use of identity-first language has become especially prevalent among those who advocate for disability rights from within the disability community as a form of claiming full humanity and centering their experience of disability. While person-first language from institutions was intended as a means of respecting human dignity and demonstrating allyship, rights advocates have claimed that it has often had the opposite effect of distancing people from the experience of disability and affirming existing power relationships.  

Since this is not a settled question, the MHHE opted to use the term “Disability Stories” rather than “Stories of People with Disabilities” or “Disabled People’s Stories.” The relationship between disability and military service is complex in so far as military service is often the cause of disability while it can also be something that presents challenges to disabled people seeking access and equal rights.

For more background information, please see:

elysium, rose iris theodosia. “How Person-First Language Isolates Disabled People.” Medium (blog), September 22, 2020. https://ryanthea.medium.com/how-person-first-language-isolates-disabled-people-61a681a4fac4.

Ladau, Emily. “Why Person-First Language Doesn’t Always Put the Person First.” Think Inclusive, July 20, 2015. https://www.thinkinclusive.us/post/why-person-first-language-doesnt-always-put-the-person-first.

Paralyzed Veterans of America. “ADA AT 25: PVA REFLECTS ON SECURING LANDMARK DISABILITY RIGHTS LAW.” Accessed January 25, 2022. https://pva.org/research-resources/accessible-design/accessibility-resources/pva-landmark-disability/.