"Etiquette Towards People with Disabilities"

Disabilities

It seems that most of us have come to agree that people with disabilities are just that, people. They have the same desires that we all have, wanting to participate fully in life and to be treated with dignity and respect.  So I’d like to just touch on three rules of etiquette when interacting with people with disabilities of which you may or may not be aware.

 

People first language

Language is powerful. It can place limits on individuals or be full of possibility. It also exposes our attitudes toward the world. Language can be angry or negative, positive or hopeful, disabling or empowering. As many of you already know, there’s been a push for many years to move to “person first language” when describing individuals with disabilities. A person is more than just the disabling condition, so instead of calling a person a “cripple” or “wheelchair bound,” we now say that he or she is a “person with mobility impairment.” It’s more than just an attempt to be culturally sensitive, it’s a conscious choice to recognize that the disability is not the whole person, just a part of a capable individual. If you’ve spent time around people with disabilities then you know this to be true, and our language should reflect it.

 

Talk directly to the person

Depending on the disability, an individual may rely on others to interact in public. If you have a question or comment to make, make sure you address the person you are inquiring about. It is rude to address the needs of a person with a disability with another when the individual with the disability is present.  An interpreter is a tool for you to communicate directly with a student who is deaf, but it’s the student you are communicating with. A personal attendant assisting a person may even be there to assist the individual with communicating, but don’t assume it. When in doubt about how a person communicates, ask the person directly.  This is a continuation of seeing and addressing the person, not just the disability.

 

Offering assistance

 It is okay to offer assistance. A person with a disability may have visible needs or obstacles to deal with, but like anyone else there will be times when it will be wanted and other times when it will not. Ask, and let the person decide if they want assistance or not. If the person does want your help, clarify what type of assistance is wanted. Everyone has their own way of doing things, so before jumping in, it’s wise to ask what the best way to help would be.

There is much more that could be covered, especially regarding specific disabilities, but the above rules of etiquette will allow you to positively interact with individuals with disabilities, and address the person in front of you. The rest will usually take care of itself.

Here’s a link to more etiquette tips for interacting with people with disabilities. http://www.ist.hawaii.edu/training/rights/14_etiquette.php

 

 Happy holidays,

James Tyson