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disability
now
DN 
Want to avoid making 10 millionpeople Hacked Offwith your reporting,but unsure ofthe correctlanguage to use when it comes todisability?DisabilityNow (DN)newspaper and the National UnionofJournalists have joined forcesto end the confusion.Written inconsultation with leading disabledpeople’s groups,this leaflet formspart ofDN’s campaign for better representation ofdisabled peopleand their increased employment atevery level ofthe industry.
‘This leaflet is an essential tool for journalists – a vital  part ofthe campaign totackle the discriminationfaced by millions of  people and a wake upcall for the industry’ 
Jeremy Dear,NUJGeneral Secretary
www.disabilitynow.org.ukwww.nuj.org.uk
HACKED OFF
A JOURNALIST’S GUIDE TO DISABILITY
 
The way disabled people are represented by themedia has a big impact on how they are regarded.The disabled people’s movement has fought hardfor disability to be recognised as a human rightsissue rather than a medical one.Under this “social model”ofdisability,people aredisabled by barriers within society,rather thanbeing victims oftheir impairments or conditions.For example,a wheelchair user is disabled ifthecounter in a bank is too high for them to use.Disabled people’s organisations campaign for equalopportunities and for services to allow them to liveindependently,not for charity.The terms opposite are those disabled people’sorganisations prefer and are empowering rather than passive.Ifin doubt,ask people themselveshow they want to be described.Ditch the super-crip stories
 – they are patronisingand set disabled people impossible standards.Report disability sports as you would any other sport.
Disabled people aren’t all sweet and innocent
 –and they do have sex lives.
Life isn’t a “trial over adversity”
 –most disabledpeople don’t see it that way.
Don’t call disabled people brave or amazing for doing normal things
 – would this be a story iftheperson was not disabled?
The “tragic victim”is an offensive stereotype
 –focus on barriers to disabled people empoweringthemselves instead:inaccessible housing andtransport,lack ofpersonal care services and barriersto education and jobs.
Is it cos I am disabled?
Is the person’s impairmentreally relevant to the story?
Disability issues can be newsy
 –why not cover institutional “disablism”,abuse and violence towardsdisabled people,assisted dying or genetic screening?
Talk to disabled people about disabled people
 –not their mums/dads/carers/charities.Don’t forget manyimpairments are “hidden”e.g.epilepsy,dyslexia andmental health problems.
And,finally,relax when interviewing disabledpeople;nobody is going to criticise you for telling a person with a visual impairment thatyou might “see”them later.And,ifin doubt,do not be afraid to ask.
   T   I   P   S   I   N   T   R   O   D   U   C   T   I   O   N
 
Disabled
 ✗
Crippled,handicapped,an invalid
Disabled people
 ✗
The disabled (disabledpeople are not ageneric group – wouldyou say “the blacks”?)
Has…(an impairment)
 ✗
Suffers from,victim of,is…(epileptic/dyslexicetc)
Non-disabled
 ✗
 Able bodied,healthy,normal
Has learningdifficulties
 ✗
Mentally handicappedretarded,backward,has a learningdisability
Wheelchair user 
 ✗
Wheelchair bound,confined to awheelchair,in awheelchair 
Deaf/hard ofhearingpeople
✗
The deaf 
Deafsign language(or British SignLanguage) user 
✗
Deafand dumb,deaf-mute
Blind or partiallysighted people,visuallyimpaired people
 ✗
The blind
Has mental healthproblems/mental illhealth (Psychotic isonly to be used inrelation to particular symptoms of psychosis,not as ageneral description
)
 ✗
Mentally ill,insane,mad,crazy,nutter,psycho,psychopathic,schizo,split personality
Has cerebral palsy
 ✗
Spastic
Has restrictedgrowth,short stature
✗
Dwarf,midget
Has autism or Asperger syndrome
 ✗
 Antisocial,out of control,retarded,hasbehavioural problems
   W   H   A   T   D   E   S   C   R   I   P   T   I   O   N   D   O   I    U   S   E   ?
✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔
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