Disability Isn’t a Bad Word

Written By Abby Metcalf, MT-BC

Approximately 1 in 4 people have a disability in the United States. Yet many people consider “disability” as a bad word, when in reality disability is neutral and a factual description of someone’s physical condition. Yet so many people today avoid saying “disability” and replace it with euphemisms such as “special needs” or “differently-abled”. 

Euphemisms 

According to the Oxford dictionary, a euphemism is “a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.”  Disability euphemisms imply that the word disability is too harsh and should not be used.

People may use euphemisms with the intended purpose of inclusion, but they typically have the opposite effect by dismissing the importance of someone’s identity and minimizing the societal barriers that create inaccessible environments. Euphemisms are often used to make someone without a disability more comfortable by avoiding the perceived harsh word.

Here are some common disability euphemisms:

  • Special Needs: suggests a disabled individual’s needs are different from non-disabled people. Disabled people have the same basic needs as everyone else. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs applies to everyone, including disabled people.

  • Differently abled: implies that there is a standard “normal” body with standard abilities to compare to. The reality is that everyone is different from each other. With that logic, we are all differently-abled, not just disabled people.

  • Challenged (i.e. “physically challenged” or “mentally challenged”): puts blame on someone’s existence as a personal problem. We all go through challenges in life. The real challenge is that disabled people overcome and navigate a world that is not made for them.

These euphemisms are often condescending, invoke pity, and assume that the word disability is something to be shameful of which only further stigmatizes the word. These euphemisms are largely condemned by the disability community. Rather than using euphemisms, disability advocates recommend using either of the terms “disabled person” (identity-first language) or “person with a disability” (person-first language) depending on an individual’s preference. 

Inspirational Narratives

Have you ever heard a story about a high school football player asking a girl with Down syndrome to prom? How about the inspirational video of a man standing out of his wheelchair at a wedding? These inspirational narratives are often referred to as “inspiration porn”, a term created by the late activist Stella Young, defined as "objectifying disabled people for the benefit of nondisabled people.” In Young’s TED talk, she describes the importance of valuing genuine achievement for disabled people instead of setting such low expectations that any task deserves to be celebrated. This leaves room for infantilizing disabled adults by talking down to them as if they were a child. Infantilization is particularly common to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities 

The 2 scenarios listed above both show different types of inspirational narratives. The first scenario is about a life milestone, going to prom, that most teens want to experience. The reason these stories go viral stems from society’s negative perception that disabled people are pitiable and “unloveable". The use of inspiration porn supports the continued infantilization of disabled people and their potential.

The man standing up from his wheelchair falls under the “overcoming disability” narrative. This narrative implies that the individual is being held back by their disability when in reality it is often the taught shame around disabilities, ignorant questions from strangers, physical barriers such as inaccessibility and lack of accommodations. 

As a physically disabled woman, I have also experienced an “overcoming disability” narrative by wanting to walk across the stage at graduation without a mobility device. I had seen videos online and felt inspired to do it too. Looking back, I regret it. Due to my internalized ableism, I didn’t want to accept my disability and just wanted to be independent and “normal”. In reality, my mobility aids increase my independence and quality of life. People who are born with a disability are sometimes more accepting of their disability compared to someone who becomes disabled later in life because of internalized ableism. I was guilty of it too. Challenging and unlearning my own ableist beliefs has led to acceptance of my disability and even pride in the person I am. Disability and all.

Prioritizing Agency and Autonomy with Adults in Music Therapy

As music therapists and disability allies, how do we celebrate client progress without infantilizing their success? Rather than providing paternalistic praise, taking a person-centered approach would prioritize collaborative validation. Here are 3 tips to support client agency and autonomy:

1. Be mindful of inspirational narratives: rather than responding with emotional reactions, acknowledge the client’s effort and strategies used.

2. Support self-determination with collaborative acknowledgement: support clients by asking questions that prompt self-determination instead of requiring external approval. 

  • For example, after an adult client engaged in a piano improvisation, saying “wow, beautiful playing! You are so talented at the piano” would be considered paternalistic praise. Instead, try saying a collaborative acknowledgement such as “I noticed your hands moved to the lower keys right when the music felt heavier. What did you notice about that moment?" 

3. Dignity of risk supports self-evaluation: dignity of risk includes creating a safe place to make mistakes, navigate the unknown, struggle, and self-evaluate that experience.

  • For example, after songwriting at the end of a session, I could ask “what is your favorite part of your song? Is there anything in the song you’d like to change for next time?”

As music therapists at Keynote, we have the privilege to work with disabled people in our community everyday. How we view and talk about disability matters. So don’t be afraid to #SayTheWord.

References:

Abby Metcalf, MT-BC
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