Phrases that you might not realize are ableist
Calling out ableist language is the first step to rehabilitating a disability non-inclusive environment.
Ableism is a set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities and often rests on the assumption that disabled people need to be “fixed” and are not equal to non-disabled individuals. The accepted and everyday use of ableist language is *one* piece of evidence that an environment may consider disability discrimination acceptable.
Recently, my employer established an inclusive language module in Microsoft Word, where documents can be reviewed for non-inclusive language. Because of the advocacy of the disability employee resource group, ableist language was added as one of the things highlighted and more inclusive language suggested.
ADHD / OCD / Bipolar / Schizophrenic (when not referring to the actual mental health conditions)
Use: Describes stereotypical traits of a medical condition in a person who doesn’t have the condition.
Issue: Generally used as an insult.
