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Stop Saying “Special Needs”
It’s Time to Get Off the Euphemism Treadmill People do not realise the extent to which their attitudes have been conditioned since early childhood by the power of words… Negative language inflicts the subconscious of most people from the time they first learn to speak. Prejudice is not merely imparted or superimposed. It is metabolised…
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Say Disabled, The Poem
Disabled. People say 16,000 words a day But one word no one wants to say: disabled. Cripped Crip Gimp Gump Differently- Abled Special Stumpy Slow Retard Crazy Sick Lame Stricken Sufferer Afflicted Low functioning High functioning Pathetic Brave Needy Helpless Hopeless Must be saved Shouldn’t be doing that Why aren’t they doing more? Lazy Lonely…
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Anti-Supports: Help that Isn’t Helpful, Part II
In another post, I wrote about the euphemism treadmill – when it comes to anti-supports, it often feels like we are stuck on the disability supports treadmill. A lot of walking but you never get anywhere. We’re all on this merry-go-round trying to reach the end of the rainbow where we can finally find the…
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Anti-supports: Help that Isn’t Helpful
“There are a lot of organizations to help with that” a friend might say if you mention a problem you’re experiencing related to your disabled child. Maybe the school isn’t providing the services they they should. A doctor’s office won’t make reasonable accommodations to allow your child to receive the care that they need. Your…
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A Thing Worth Doing is Worth Doing Poorly
A friend posted the quote above, which inspired this post. It’s really interesting to me, probably in part because because my dad always taught my sister and I the exact opposite. He had all these dad-isms: “Be little ladies, not little urchins,” “Accidents happen when you’re not careful,” and one of his all time favorites…