Why use the term “Person with Disability”?

Much is questioned and discussed about terms, nomenclatures and acronyms to refer to someone who has a disability. It is good to remember that there will never be a single correct expression definitively valid in all times and spaces. At each time, words are used whose meanings are compatible with the values ​​in force in the period, as evolution is constant and every day we are more willing to transform the world into a better and more inclusive place. So don't worry if you didn't use the right term before, we are here precisely to shed light on this issue and explain why today we are talking about PERSON WITH DISABILITIES.

Until the 20th century, the term used was “invalid”, because for the society of the time, a person with a disability was exactly that: “someone without value” for society, for professional circles and even for the family. Between the 60s and 90s, some terms were changed and introduced into the vocabularies, such as “incapable”, “incapacitated”, “people with special needs”, “exceptional”, “special” and the best known: “disabled”. .

But if we stop to analyze the word “disabled”, we understand that it is something small, flawed, insufficient... and we, who have a disability, are not.

Deficient is the State that does not provide accessible streets for us to exercise our legal right to come and go, deficient is the social structure that marginalizes and excludes by virtue of old prejudices, deficient is the culture of ableism that wants to deny the potential of a person based on some physical, motor or intellectual limitation that it may present.

And when we talk about “people with special needs”, it is essential to remember that the needs of a person with a disability are directly linked to the basic and common needs of each and every individual , what changes is the way of adapting things to meet that need. . Since “carrier” is someone who carries something with them, which is correct when it comes to a disease that causes some type of virus, bacteria or genetic mutation. For example, I have spinal muscular atrophy, I carry a genetic mutation that presents itself in the form of motor degeneration, my mother also has the disease but does not present any of the symptoms, she just carries her genetic information.

It is better to use the official and correct term that was defined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is PwD, which means Person with Disabilities, as it clarifies that there is some type of disability without demeaning those who have it.

Federal Law nº 13.146/2015 , which is considered a true milestone of inclusion in Brazil, is called the “Statute of the Person with Disabilities”, thus consecrating this terminology as the correct form. Disabled person (PPD) or Person with Special Needs (PNE) are wrong terms and should be avoided, since they do not convey reality as they should.

Written or spoken language expresses, voluntarily or involuntarily, respect or discrimination. That's why,

let us always remember that the “person with a disability” before having a disability is, above all and simply a PERSON, with rights, duties and the ability to explore their own talents and who can be whoever they want.

If everyone becomes familiar with the right term, it will move forward and we will make a world that is more inclusive every day.

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