Anyone in publishing, content marketing, or really pretty much any field these days, knows the market is saturated with content writing: the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly (let’s call this the “meh” content that falls somewhere between the other two).
We all constantly strive to produce great content that’s useful and relevant, but in addition to that, we also need to make sure our content is infused with our own and/or our clients’ values—including respect and consideration for others—to make it truly good.
One small way to do this is to consider using “people-first” language, especially when talking about people with disabilities. This isn’t a new concept—it was introduced by advocacy groups in the late 80s and is supported by Arc—but it’s an important one. All it means is putting the person, not their disease or ailment, first. It’s a common-sense idea, but one that may not come naturally to those of us who don’t have everyday contact with people with disabilities.
Some examples: instead of saying, “disabled person” or “handicapped person,” say, “person with disability” to emphasize the person before their disability.
Instead of saying, “wheelchair-bound person” or “wheelchair-confined individual,” avoid the negative connotation and instead say, “person who uses a wheelchair” or simply “wheelchair user.”
It’s not just about being politically correct; it’s about being inclusive of as many groups of people as possible, particularly underserved populations that should be made to feel welcome no matter the environment (e.g., a grocery store, a library, or even when they’re just shopping online).
So next time you’re writing an email, editing content, or reviewing an article, you may want to consider—is this people-first language? —and if not, adjust your content writing accordingly.
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