RaySharpton
Retired and going to Disney.
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2000
I see this from both sides. I travel with a power chair assisted young lady from time to time and there is a difference between seeking a label for a person and attempting to find a descriptive term that is also not inadvertently offensive.
To my friend, Aisling, because of her dark sense of humour and our years of friendship we often throw descriptive terms back and forth that neither would dream of using more broadly. In fact, in that comic strip I suspect she would have answered, "cripple" just to see the reaction.
At the same time, if I'm making resort reservations and want a better shot at a ground floor or room close to elevator, I can't just say, "Can we request a ground floor room? My friend's name is Aisling." So a bland term like 'mobility challenged' is useful.
Agree. Out of handicapped, disabled or physically challenged, I prefer disabled, or wheelchair user. Dislike wheelchair bound.
But as a group, it wouldn't make sense. How would you label an area made for wheelchairs and other issues? Or try to organize a group? If you wanted a soccer team, you'd ask for soccer players, right? So the most appropriate label would be one that was clear.
Ray's point is that he is a person first. Even a group of people are just that, they are people first. It isn't an "area made for wheelchairs," there are people in those wheelchairs.
I love that!
Ray's point is that he is a person first. Even a group of people are just that, they are people first. It isn't an "area made for wheelchairs," there are people in those wheelchairs.