Words Really Do Matter: Exploring Ableist Language
Ableism is Embedded in Our Everyday Language—Here’s How We Can Dismantle It
By: Sophia Goetz
As kids, there is an age we reach when we begin to understand which words are “no-nos.” We may have heard them uttered on late night TV, caught between the whispers of the big kids on the school bus, or hurled at a Sunday football game in a fit of shouts by Dad. As we get older, we begin to acclimate our language to what is more socially acceptable, and those “no-no” words either make rare appearances or are not used at all. We learn which words are appropriate in which settings; for example, I might not utter the same expletive to express my disappointment about the ice cream flavor at my grandma’s birthday as I would around my close friends.
We also learn that “words can hurt” and begin to use terms that are less severe to express negative emotions. Words like “stupid,” “crazy,” and “bipolar,” to name a few, are supposedly more tame than your average expletive but are often used flippantly and with a negative connotation. But adjectives like these are ableist, and given the normalized cultural attitudes that surround them, we often do not realize the harm they cause to people with disabilities.
What is Ableism?
To begin to exorcize ableist language from our everyday vocabulary and understand its effects on other people’s lives, we must define ableism. Merriam-Webster defines it as “discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities.” When it comes to language, ableism often manifests as metaphors (“my partner is emotionally crippled”), jokes (“her stand-up act was hysterical!”), and euphemisms (“they can’t participate because they’re special needs”).
When trying to eradicate ableist language from our vocabulary, it is important to understand that language is only one tool of an oppressive system. Ableism is not just a list of bad words. It is a privilege to be able to change our language, and being aware of our language can help us to understand how pervasive ableism is. Language both reflects and influences our society and culture. Identifying ableist terms and phrases is not about policing words or censoring each other. The first step in critically examining how language is part of an ableist hegemony is being compassionate towards ourselves and recognizing that we have all participated in ablesupremacy and ablenormativity to some extent.
“But I’ve used some of these words before… Am I ableist?”
When trying to eradicate ableism from our everyday vocabulary, our intent needs to come from a place of education, rather than shame. Words are how we make sense of our feelings and environment. When describing things, experiences, and the people around us, we unconsciously assign value to them, and that impacts how we interact with one another. It is also important to note that ableist language is not only a way of expressing yourself but also a means of stigmatizing, mocking, stereotyping, or pitying those with disabilities. Ableist language intentionally equates disability with deficit, focusing on people’s shortcomings rather than the failures of the system.
What are some examples of ableist words?
While it might seem difficult or daunting to replace ableist words that devalue people with disabilities, there are many alternatives that do not rely on using disability as a vehicle for cruel analogies and metaphors. Activist Lydia X. Z. Brown has provided a glossary of ableist words and phrases, such as “bipolar” or “schizo,” as well as some outdated words that aren’t used as often like “simpleton” or “feeble-minded.” While the severity of the words on Brown’s list ranges from egregious to somewhat ambiguous, if a word seems questionable, you can choose a more neutral alternative. Brown has also provided a list of synonyms that are non-ableist but can be used to describe things, feelings, and situations in a negative manner.
Ableism in the age of COVID
During the pandemic, there has been an increase in the use of ableist language, euphemisms, and metaphors in the news. Our nation’s debt, labor shortages, and infection rates have all been described, at one time or another, as “crippling.” We are living in unprecedented times and have struggled to describe the impacts of COVID, falling back on outdated and offensive language to make sense of it.
Ableism in relation to COVID does not only exist within language. While it is both morally indefensible and harmful to people with disabilities, the pandemic has amplified the harm that it causes. At one time or another, many journalists, politicians, and public health officials have either stated or implied that people do not need to be so fearful of dying from the virus, as it mostly kills people who are elderly, chronically ill, or disabled. While the able-bodied may regard COVID as something to wait out, the pandemic will never truly end for those with disabilities if we do not steer away from ableist responses in our actions, attitudes, and language.
“There is work to be done”
The examples of linguistic and physical ableism described above do not fully encapsulate all of the elements of the complex system that disparages and complicates the lives of people with disabilities. Dr. Jessica Horvath Williams, a postdoctoral fellow in English and co-leader of the Critical Disability Studies Collective at the University of Minnesota, described the work that needs to be done beyond eliminating ableist words from our everyday language. “So often, I think, the monumental task of creating a just and equitable world seems impossible and overwhelming. How do you know what success looks like, and how do you feel like you're doing anything for the world, if the results of your labor won't be seen for another century?”
Doing the work to consistently remove the words we use unconsciously can feel tedious, especially when the results do not immediately manifest noticeable changes in the long-standing and oppressive system.
“An awareness of what makes certain terms ableist and problematic is good—and we, of course, should all work to not say phrases that devalue or stigmatize disabled folks,” said Horvath Williams. “But it's also an easy stopping place. Rather, I think we should work to eradicate ableism itself—which has a far greater impact on disabled people's surviving and thriving—and the awareness that flows from that work will likely, over time, remove ableist terms from our lexicon.”
While being aware of and removing ableist terms from our language is only a starting place, we must remember that it is still important work. Being an ally begins with an awareness of how we contribute to oppressive systems, and understanding the history and meaning behind ableist language is the first step we can take toward dismantling it.