Disable the Label

The word "disability" often carries a negative connotation, but if you have spent time with an individual with a disability, you know that there is more to a person than their diagnosis. 

We are living in a revolutionary time for people with disabilities, but the journey to this point was a long, dark one. Dating back to the late 1800's, people with disabilities were viewed not only as "feeble-minded" but criminals. Propaganda portrayed individuals with disabilities as a violent, misbehaved population and a burden on society. There was a push to have these individuals sterilized in an attempt to end the genetic traits that society deemed unfavorable. As the 19th century turned into the 20th century, it quickly became popular to institutionalize all people with disabilities to relieve the "burden" on society. These people placed in institutions had disabilities ranging from poor speech or eyesight to epilepsy to intellectual and developmental disabilities. Clinical terms used to describe individuals with disabilities included: "idiot", "imbecile", and "moron"; these terms were used to categorize the prognosis of an individual.

Around the 1950's to the 1970's, the mindset towards people with disabilities began to change as people realized that they could help these individuals instead of institutionalizing them. In 1965, Medicaid and Medicare began and provided health insurance to those with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975 gave students with disabilities the right to public education and made it illegal for public schools to deny these students. The 1970's began the Disability Rights Movement where the attitudes towards people with disabilities began to change. Parents backed away from the ideology of institutionalization and instead pushed for community-based services for this population. The 1990's brought with it the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which drastically affected people with disabilities as it provided civil rights that were previously denied.

The attitudes and terminology surrounding people with disabilities has changed tremendously since the 19th century. People with disabilities are now encouraged to participate in society through employment, education, and service. Colleges and universities often offer programs for people with various disabilities to earn degrees or learn skills for independence and employment, and many people with disabilities yearn to live as independently as possible. With the changes in society, the clinical terminology has evolved to kinder terms such as "intellectual disability" instead of "moron" or "idiot". In the 21st century, there has been a push towards using people first language in order to eliminate the belief that a person is defined by the disability. We are living in a revolutionary time for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities, and it is our responsibility to continue advocating for these people.