Why "individuals with developmental disabilities?" Why not something shorter?
People sometimes ask me why we say Blue Cap supports "individuals with developmental disabilities." They'll tell me this phrase is "too politically correct" or that our society gets "too worried about offending everybody." Why can't we just use shorter phrases like "the disabled" or "the handicapped?" At Blue Cap, we focus on the person before the disability. Each person we support is a son or daughter, a co-worker or a friend. We don't want to define a person based on his or her disability, just as we don't want to label a person based on his or her gender, race or ethnicity. That's why we use "People First" language. "People First" language puts the person before the descriptor. I am not "a disabled person." I am "a person with a disability," just as I am "a person with brown hair" or a "person with green eyes." First and foremost, I am a person. If you would like to know more about "People First" language, try this helpful website: http://www.disability is natural.com/people first language.htm. Together, we can continue to put people first.
Rachael Marusarz, Blue Cap Grants Coordinator
