People First Language
The movement toward people-first language began in the 1980s, advocating for language that puts the person before their disability. It sought to challenge stereotypes and reduce stigma by acknowledging that disabilities are only one aspect of a person’s identity. Early efforts were bolstered by disability rights organizations and self-advocates, recognizing that words have the power to shape societal attitudes.
A major milestone was the People First Respectful Language Modernization Act of 2006, which was enacted by the Council of the District of Columbia on July 11, 2006. It mandated “the use of respectful language when referring to people with disabilities in all new and revised District laws, regulations, rules, and publications and all internet publications.”
This act was a response to the need for a shift in how we talk about people with disabilities, ensuring that individuals were not reduced to their condition. It set a standard for respectful language at the governmental level and encouraged others to follow.
Amending the 2006 legislature, the People First Respectful Language Modernization Amendment Act of 2012, “removed offensive, dated language referring to persons with disabilities, including the term mental retardation, and replace[s] it with respectful language that puts people first.”
In addition:
Specific examples include but are not limited to replacing the term “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability;” replacing the terms “lunatic” and “mentally ill” with “person with a mental illness;” replacing “wheelchair-bound resident” with “resident who uses a wheelchair;” replacing “handicapped tags” with “tags for persons with disabilities;” and, for people with intellectual disabilities, replacing the terms “customer” and “consumer” with “individual.”
President Barack Obama signed Rosa’s Law in 2010, the same year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The law is named for Rosa Marcellino, a Maryland girl with Down syndrome. Rosa, her parents, and her siblings fought to officially remove the term “mentally retarded” from their state’s health and education code.
As a result of their efforts, Rosa’s Law removes this same language in all federal health, education and labor laws and instead refers to “Americans living with an ‘intellectual disability.’”
What you call people is how you treat them. If we change the words, maybe it will be the start of a new attitude towards people with disabilities.
You can find this information and more at the following helpful resources:
https://odr.dc.gov/page/people-first-language
https://dds.dc.gov/publication/guidance-people-first-language
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/07/11/2017-14343/rosas-law
This information was last updated December 2024 and is accurate to the best of our knowledge.
See also: What is People First Language?
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