If Peter Harre had a dollar for every time he heard or read the phrases “wheelchair bound”, “confined to a wheelchair” or “suffered a spinal cord injury,” he would have quite a hefty bank account.

As a person who has used a wheelchair for the past 20+ years, Peter said it was still common to hear these negative phrases used in everyday conversation or in the media. “Wheelchair bound, confined to a wheelchair, disabled, handicapped – these words all conjure up images of quite a sad person sitting and wilting away in their wheelchair,” Peter said.

“While we’ve just entered a new decade, ignorance and a lack of awareness in society means that people in our community who have a physical disability are often made, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to feel like second-class citizens.

“The way we refer to people affects how we feel about them, how we portray them to others, and how they feel about themselves.

“Using appropriate words when talking to, or about, someone with a spinal cord injury or another disability is an important part of ensuring that people with a disability are seen like everyone – as a person first.”

Peter has hundreds of examples of how people with a physical disability have been treated differently by others. He believes this treatment is often perpetrated by the myths surrounding people with a disability.

“It’s more common than not for people to assume that because you use a wheelchair you automatically have an intellectual disability, which can be extremely demoralising. “You do unfortunately get quite used to these experiences. But, I’m not tarring all of society with the same brush. For every ignorant person, there is another person who treats you as their equal.”

Spinal Injuries Association Acting CEO Frances Porter said currently around one in five Australians had some form of disability (ABS 2008).

“Chances are, someone in your family, your social group or somebody you work with has a disability,” Ms Porter said.

“Using positive language is easy to do once you realise the negative connotations many old-fashioned terms such as ‘slow’ or ‘disabled’ have.

“All people, regardless of their physical disability, have the right to live in an inclusive, equitable environment where they are spoken to the same as anybody else.”

The guidelines above are a helpful indicator of what is appropriate language to use when talking about, or to, someone with a physical disability.

Don't say                                                   Say this instead

-Disabled, cripple, handicapped, suffering                 -A person with a disability

-Subnormal, retard                                                    -A person with an intellectual disability

-Spastic, spaz                                                            -A person with cerebral palsy

-Wheelchair bound, confined to a wheelchair            -A person who uses a wheelchair

-Deaf and dumb, mute                                               -A person with a hearing impairment

-Epileptic                                                                    -A person with epilepsy

-Mongoloid                                                                 -A person with down's syndrome

-Schizo                                                                       -A person with schizophrenia