Happy Week 3 everyone!
During our first General Meeting, we read and analyzed the article “Identity-First Language” written by Lydia X.Z Brown (they/them or no pronouns) and published with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN). Brown is an autistic disability rights activist, writer, attorney, and public speaker. If you want to read more about Brown and their story, visit their website.
We discussed the differences between identity-first and person-first language, exploring how to find balance between personal preference and inclusivity. Identity-first language understands autism as an inherent part of an individual’s identity, often used by many autistic individuals themselves and allies. Examples would be “autistic people” or “autistic individual”.
"Because when people say 'person with autism,' it does have an attitudinal nuance. It suggests that the person can be separated from autism, which simply isn’t true. It is impossible to separate a person from autism, just as it is impossible to separate a person from the color of his or her skin."
Person-first language, on the other hand, puts “person” before any identifier to emphasize humanity. Some parents and professionals prefer this terminology because they do not consider autism to be part of an individual’s identity. An example would be “person with autism” or “person who has autism”.
This article provides more insight into the connotations of both according to many in the autistic community. It is important to consider what language you should use, and remember that you can always ask what a person prefers!
Note: Autism Advocacy at UCLA endorses the use of identity-first language.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you prefer identity-first or person-first language, and why? After reading this article, do you still have the same stance?
2. Share your opinions on this article — overall thoughts, parts you liked or didn’t like and why, and takeaways.
3. How do we find the balance between preference and inclusivity?
Thank you for following along! Please feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, concerns or questions down below. Have a great week :)
