Phrases I Am Trying to Eliminate- The History Of Ableism In The Words We Use

I was in a conversation with friends, and I said something to the effect of "And I was being a moron because......" and stopped myself. While I am a big proponent of not using words like the R word (retarded) or the H word (handicapped) based on their history of oppression and discrimination, I sometimes miss the less overt words that seem less harmful, but are still rooted in ablism. This week, I want to share some of these words with you, offer alternative phrasing, and hopefully start a call to change our vocabulary to be more welcoming to those with disabilities.

1: Lame

Lame was initially used to mean "limp," as in "lame leg." Now, when people say something is lame, it is phrased as uncool, bad, or stupid. By associating a disability (limp) with something uncool, we unknowingly create negative associations with physical disabilities. Instead of calling something lame, I am trying to shift my language to say uncool, not interesting, or dull.

2: Stupid/dumb

Stupid or dumb inherently mocks intellect. Stupid is associated with cognitive disability, and dumb is a slur for non-speaking people who are deaf or unable to speak for another reason, such as being autistic. One theme in this list is that intellectual disabilities seem to be the root of a lot of negative words that demonstrate a negative connotation, including the R-word. I am trying to replace these words with foolish, dense, or ignorant, depending on the situation.

3: Moron/Idiot

Moron and idiot stem from mocking intelligence, but they directly label the person associated with lower intellect instead of describing them. Moron and idiot were once clinical terms used to describe those with intellectual disabilities that have turned into insults. Now we use these words to associate others who perform unsavory actions negatively by comparing them to those with intellectual disabilities. Just like with stupid and dumb, I want to replace these words with foolish, dense, and ignorant.

4: Crazy/insane

Crazy and insane are rooted in discriminatory views of those with mental disabilities. Insane specifically has legal roots in determining whether someone is of sound mind, grounded in reality, aware of their actions, and able to consent. Insane was also used to describe mental health institutions where those with intellectual disabilities were locked in buildings to be wards of the state. Instead of using crazy or insane, I want to shift my language to unhinged, wild, or unbelievable.

5: Normal

I have seen many people use the term normal to describe someone who does not have a disability. However, disability isn't uncommon. I do a lot of work in my master's program research using academic frameworks that talk about the harm of labeling disabled people as other or not normal, which can create ostracization. I like to think most of my life isn't that different than those who don't have a disability. Instead of using the word normal, I try to use able-bodied, neurotypical, or abled, depending on the disability.

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I am not perfect, I still use these words in conversation. However, I would like to try to replace my vocabulary to acknowledge the harm that associating disability with negative phrases can cause. For those who might not understand why this is so important to me, I want to ask a question: why are there no words associated with disability that we use positively? Insane didn't evolve to be a synonym for beautiful, kind, or wise. Lame didn't evolve to mean interesting, cool, or even eccentric—instead, most of the words that at one point described disability are now used negatively. What better way can we honor this fact by removing that association from our vocabulary, even if it's not perfectly?

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Thank you for reading about words rooted in ableism that most of us still use today. If you have any questions or comments, please comment on the blog, reach out at @Anniekrollblog on Instagram or Facebook, or email me at Anniekrollblog@gmail.com. I hope to see you next week!