We are all people no matter color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, nor nationality. As a society, we are starting to recognize that. The same applies to those who have disabilities, so why do we often focus on the person disability rather than the person themselves?

You wouldn't introduce someone as "my black friend" or "my gay friend," so why would you introduce someone as your "autistic friend?" You would say "hello, this is my friend Charlie," and it would be up to your friend if they want you to tell someone that they have a disability or if they would rather do it themselves.

This way of talking is called People First Language. It is a more objective way of acknowledging, communicating, and reporting on disabilities. It eliminates generalizations, assumptions, and stereotypes by focusing on the person rather than the disability.

This language generally refers to individual first and disability second. Here are some examples of the person-first language that I am talking about.

People with disabilities have some of the same goals and dreams as we do, and by stereotyping them we are saying that they don't have dreams, that they don't deserve to be treated like those without disabilities.

Historically, people with disabilities have been regarded as individuals to be pitied, feared, or ignored. They have been portrayed as helpless victims, repulsive adversaries, heroic individuals overcoming tragedy, and charity cases who must depend on others for their well being and care. Media coverage frequently focused on heartwarming features and inspirational stories that reinforced stereotypes, patronized and underestimated individuals' capabilities.

Luckily in today's media, they are showing people with disabilities having successful lives and thriving in the world. Shows like "The Good Doctor" is showing people with autism that they can achieve their dreams despite what society make think of them. There are working models who have Down Syndrome, and there are models with disabilities modeling for Aerie. It's amazing what people can do if we look past the disability and focus on the ability.

There are also stories in the news that show people with Autism being successful and with all of these positive reinforcements in the disability community it can help the world see persons with disabilities as productive members of society rather then what they are stereotyped as by some of the world.

If all we see in someone is their disability, we won't get to know what they are fully capable of, we won't get to see what they can do. This is why we need to switch to person-first language because it helps decrease the stigma and end the stereotypes that people often assume about one another.

People with disabilities deserve happiness and an awesome future and they are going to need our support in order to get there because it is hard to achieve goals alone but a little help can really make a difference.

Let us be the generation that ends the stigma of disabilities, people-first.