opinion
The language
of disability
From ‘demented’ to ‘person
with dementia’: Emeritus
Professor Roland Sussex from
the University of Queensland
looks at how and why the
language of disability has
changed.
I
n the second half of the 20th
century, we came to accept that
in certain cases we should avoid
deliberately hurtful language. While
many deride political correctness
for going too far, its initial aim to
establish non-hateful language was,
and still is, admirable.
In the early 20th century, ‘moron’
of whose features were supposed
was a medical term for someone with to resemble those with Down
a mental age of between eight and syndrome. ‘Retarded’ described
12. ‘Mongol’ was a person with Down someone mentally, socially or
syndrome, and also was indirectly a physically less advanced than their
slur on people from Mongolia, some chronological age.
PRESENTS
FEATURING
AND MORE
FERRIS WHEEL | JUMPING CASTLE | OBSTACLE ALLEY | CHILL OUT ZONE | SILENT DISCO | PHOTO BOOTH | MARKET
BAZAAR | FACE PAINTING | TATTOOS | CRAZY HAIR | ELEVATED VIEWING PLATFORM | FOOD VENDORS AT GROUND
LEVEL | AUSLAN INTERPRETERS | HI-VIS SIGNAGE | GUIDE & ASSISTED DOG FRIENDLY AREAS | HELPFUL VOLUNTEERS
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opinion
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