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Person-First or Identity-First Language?

A Self Reflection

By Nicole ChevrierPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Throughout my undergraduate education, I was always taught to use person-first language when referring to people with disabilities of any kind. I became used to this way of speaking throughout my degree and as I completed my minor in learning and developmental disabilities. I personally don't have any experience with a learning disability myself, so I tried to imagine what I would prefer, person-first or identity-first language, if I did have a learning disability. Every time I thought about what I would prefer, I always arrived at person-first language. I thought to myself, “I would want other people to recognize me as a person first and not define who I am just by my disability.” Fast forward to my first semester in PDP, we were assigned the article Person-First and Identity-First Language Developing Psychologists’ Cultural Competence Using Disability Language by Dunn and Andrews. Upon reading this article the first time, I still did not fully understand or agree with using identity-first language, (saying a disabled person instead of a person with disabilities) but I enjoyed that my prior beliefs and teachings were being challenged.

The challenges to what I have previously learned are where the learning truly happens. Upon being confronted with this new perspective in the Dunn and Andrews article, I have come across many great articles and resources advocating for identity-first language. While reading these articles I realized I was guilty of saying many of the statements which the authors are not appreciative of including: “You are not autistic, you are a “person with autism”, “You are so much more than your diagnosis”, “Put yourself before the disability” (Sequenzia, 2017). These seem like respectful and caring statements that we may say to disabled people, but upon thinking more about the use of our language, these can be degrading statements. Of course they are people, of course their disability doesn’t define who they are, so why do typically developing people need to constantly remind disabled people, and more precisely, themselves, that they are humans? This is what it comes down to. Person-first language claims to allow people to see the person without the disability, but many autistic people, especially students feel as though they are invisible within the society and the education system. How then, is person-first language helping the issues surrounding lack of inclusion in schools? I don’t believe it is, especially after reading the articles advocating for identify-first language.

Society needs to bring an end to the mentality and attitude that being autistic or disabled is equal to being less than another human. When others act cautious and try to tip toe around talking about autistic people, this furthers the negative stigma surrounding them. A prominent quote which really spoke to me and helped me see that identify-first language is vital to eliminating the stigma surrounding disabled people was by Cynthia Kim in The Logical Fallacy of Person-First Language who said:

“I fail to see why it’s okay to use the identity first descriptor “typically developing child” but not the identity first “autistic child.” Why do we constantly need to be reminded that the autistic kids are people? Is it so easy to forget? I would hope that no matter what label I use to refer to myself it be would obvious that I’m a person” (Kim, 2014).

The fact that people, and even myself at one point felt the need to specify that a disabled person was still indeed a human being makes me feel guilty and it also makes me question the teachings surrounding this language during my undergraduate degree.

Dunn and Andrews say that the identity-first model “portrays disability as a neutral, or even positive, as well as natural characteristic or human attribute—not a medical problem requiring a cure, nor a representation of moral failing” (Dunn & Andrews, 2015). Having a disability may lead to being limited in what you can do in daily life in some cases, but personally, I think the world can and should change to suite everyone. I remember hearing a seminar in which the speaker said that not all people can walk up or down stairs but all people can walk or roll up and down a ramp. Changing the world to better suit everyone does not harm anybody, but it makes the world a lot more navigable for some.

In closing, I think it is vital that we respect the preferences of each community and use the chosen language that they wish. If we are unsure of their preference, it is proper to use identity-first language. There is no need to reassure ourselves that an autistic person is still a person by saying ‘a person with autism.’ Of course they are a person, when was that ever called into question? I really appreciate resources like the ones mentioned in my references section which challenge my previous beliefs and even change them for the better. I came back to writing this reflection a few different times, and even as I read through it now I find it interesting and exciting to see how my perspective on person-first and identity-first language has changed.

References

Dunn, D. S., & Andrews, E. E. (2015). Person-first and identity-first language: Developing

psychologists’ cultural competence using disability language. American Psychologist, 70(3), 255.

Kim, C. (2014, June 18). The Logical Fallacy of Person First Language. [Web log post]. Retrieved from: https://musingsofanaspie.com/2014/06/18/the-logical-fallacy-of-person-first-language/

Olkin, R., & Pledger, C. (2003). Can disability studies and psychology join hands? American Psychologist, 58, 296 –304. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1037/0003-066X.58.4.296

Sequenzia, A. (2017, July). The Failings of Person First Language. [Web log post]. Retrieved from: https://autismwomensnetwork.org/failings-person-first-language

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About the Creator

Nicole Chevrier

Author of The Bee Sanctuary & More...

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” – Jacqueline Onassis

she/her, inclusive education, ecological justice, respect

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