hi everyone! so while the term “handicapped” is really outdated/problematic & we don’t use it to discuss pwd anymore, i still hear good, woke people use it to refer to parking spots/toilets/etc. like “the handicapped stall” or whatever. and i really think they do that bc they don’t know of a better term. so i’m gonna give you one!  “accessible!!!!”
any time you’d say “handicapped,” say “accessible”
“oh, he has fibromyalgia, so he has an accessible parking permit” “due to her spinal cord injury, she has an accessible dorm room” etc etc
this is cool for two main reasons! 1 – you’re not using super outdated language and 2 – it puts the focus on the accessibility of the environment, not the personal impairment, which if you’ve done any reading on the social model of disability, you’ll know is a really good thing.
so spread the word, practice better disability politics, and spare me the inward cringe every time i have to hear the word “handicapped”
cool disability psa!
