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Words matter.
Words can open doors to cultivate the understanding and
respect that enable people with disabilities to lead
fuller, more independent lives. Words also can create
barriers or stereotypes that are not only demeaning to
people with disabilities, but also rob them of their
individuality.
The
following language guidelines have been developed by
experts for use by anyone writing or speaking about
people with intellectual disabilities to ensure that all
people are portrayed with individuality and dignity.
Why did Special Olympics update its terminology
from “mental retardation” to “intellectual
disabilities”? In response to a call from our
athletes and the growing social unacceptability
of the term “mental retardation” around the
world, Special Olympics has adopted the term
“intellectual disabilities” when referring to
the people with whom we serve. The word “mental”
can be confused with the term “mental illness”
and the word “retardation” is associated with
offensive terms such as “retard” or “retarded.”
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Appropriate Terminology
Why is
language and specific terminology important?
Special Olympics prefers to focus on people and their
gifts and accomplishments, and to dispel negative
attitudes and stereotypes. In an ideal world, labels
would not exist, but unfortunately they do and language
choices can have a powerful impact on impressions and
attitudes. As language has evolved, Special Olympics has
updated its official terminology to use more widely
accepted terminology that is more acceptable to our
athletes.
-
Special Olympics uses the term “intellectual
disabilities.” Other terms are used around the
world.
- Refer
to participants in Special Olympics as “Special
Olympics athletes” rather than “Special Olympians”
or “Special Olympic athletes.”
- Use
“people-first language.” Refer to individuals,
persons or people with intellectual disabilities,
rather than “intellectually disabled people” or “the
intellectually disabled.”
-
People have intellectual disabilities, rather than
are “suffering from,” “afflicted with” or “a victim
of” intellectual disabilities.
-
Distinguish between adults and children with
intellectual disabilities. Use adults or children,
or older or younger athletes.
- A
person “uses” a wheelchair, rather than is
“confined” or “restricted to” a wheelchair.
- “Down
syndrome” has replaced “Down’s Syndrome” and
“mongoloid.”
- Refer
to participants in Special Olympics as athletes. In
no case should the word athletes appear in quotation
marks.
- When
writing, refer to persons with a disability in the
same style as persons without a disability: full
name on first reference and last name on subsequent
references. Do not refer to an individual with an
intellectual disability as "Bill" rather than the
journalistically correct “Bill Smith” or “Smith.”
- A
person is physically challenged or disabled rather
than crippled.
- Use
the words “Special Olympics” when referring to the
worldwide Special Olympics movement.
Terminology to Avoid
- Do
not use the label “kids” when referring to Special
Olympics athletes. Adult athletes are an integral
part of the Movement.
- Do
not preface Special Olympics with the word “the.”
This implies that Special Olympics is a one-time,
singular event rather than a year-round, ongoing
program of sports training and competition.
- Do
not use the adjective “unfortunate” when talking
about people with intellectual disabilities.
Disabling conditions do not have to be life-defining
in a negative way.
- Do
not sensationalize the accomplishments of persons
with disabilities. While these accomplishments
should be recognized and applauded, people in the
disability rights movement have tried to make the
public aware of the negative impact of referring to
the achievements of people with physical or
intellectual disabilities with excessive hyperbole.
- Use
the word “special” with extreme care when talking
about persons with intellectual disabilities. The
term, if used excessively in references to Special
Olympics athletes and activities, can become a
cliché.
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