Section 6: Disability Hiring Do's and Don'ts

The Words We Use

Positive language empowers.

When writing or speaking about people with disabilities or combat-related injuries, it is important to put the person first. While the term "disabled Veteran" is accepted in some circles, some group designations such as "the blind," "the retarded" or "the disabled" are inappropriate because they do not reflect the individuality, equality or dignity of people with disabilities.

Further, words like "normal person" imply that the person with a disability isn't normal, whereas "person without a disability" is descriptive but not negative.