god i love it when you drop by and leave a whole article in the comments XD
And I do agree with your points! Focusing on nano-aggressions like saying deaf-mute instead of deaf and non-verbal (which AFAIK, is an acceptable term in the US from my experience working with disabled folks) is overlooking the big picture - the intent behind these words. This type of language has become a cultural minefield. I feel like the best approach is to focus on intent and education.
Unfortunately, there isn't going to be a good glossary of inclusive vs ableist terms because that cultural context does matter so much, and these things can vary in impact on different disabled people (people with disabilities? <- this kind of mix-up is a great common example).
Another thing to keep in mind: dev.to, like the rest of the internet, has many users that are not native English speakers. You just can't expect non-native speakers to know the intricacies and connotations of this kind of thing. It loops back to empathy and education. Chances are, if you let them know they misspoke and offer an alternative, they'll be grateful for the kind correction and use that moving forward.
Accessibility First DevRel. I focus on ensuring content created, events held and company assets are as accessible as possible, for as many people as possible.
Aww thanks Erica...although I am not sure that I like the fact that I am getting a reputation for writing essays in comments 😋🤣
Intent is at the core of discourse, if someone uses a term that makes me wince because of my personal vocabulary and education on a subject I have learned (with much practice I might add) to look past that.
Oh and as for the "people with disabilities" (the favoured way as far as I am concerned) vs "disabled people" debate...it is painful to see how militant people can be with it.
As long as you aren't using an obvious slur it really doesn't matter that much, I just want to talk to you about it so we can learn from each other!
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god i love it when you drop by and leave a whole article in the comments XD
And I do agree with your points! Focusing on nano-aggressions like saying deaf-mute instead of deaf and non-verbal (which AFAIK, is an acceptable term in the US from my experience working with disabled folks) is overlooking the big picture - the intent behind these words. This type of language has become a cultural minefield. I feel like the best approach is to focus on intent and education.
Unfortunately, there isn't going to be a good glossary of inclusive vs ableist terms because that cultural context does matter so much, and these things can vary in impact on different disabled people (people with disabilities? <- this kind of mix-up is a great common example).
Another thing to keep in mind: dev.to, like the rest of the internet, has many users that are not native English speakers. You just can't expect non-native speakers to know the intricacies and connotations of this kind of thing. It loops back to empathy and education. Chances are, if you let them know they misspoke and offer an alternative, they'll be grateful for the kind correction and use that moving forward.
Aww thanks Erica...although I am not sure that I like the fact that I am getting a reputation for writing essays in comments 😋🤣
Intent is at the core of discourse, if someone uses a term that makes me wince because of my personal vocabulary and education on a subject I have learned (with much practice I might add) to look past that.
Oh and as for the "people with disabilities" (the favoured way as far as I am concerned) vs "disabled people" debate...it is painful to see how militant people can be with it.
As long as you aren't using an obvious slur it really doesn't matter that much, I just want to talk to you about it so we can learn from each other!