For those who don't know, person-first language is putting the individual first when describing a diagnosis or disability someone has. Person-first language is taught to many, especially those going into special education and speech pathology. This structured way of addressing someone is not only polite, but it puts to rest the dehumanizing language some people still use to label individuals with disabilities. It is my goal to make person-first language worldwide, and there will never be a derogatory term used again to describe individuals with disabilities.

Here are some examples of person-first language that anyone can use in place of inappropriate phrases or words:

Instead of the autistic child say the child with autism

Instead of he is mentally ill say he has a mental health diagnosis/condition

Instead of he's Down's say he has Down syndrome

Instead of he's in special ed say he receives special education services

Instead of the handicapped/disabled say people with disabilities

The most important word everyone should delete from their vocabulary is the word r*tarded. I physically can't find myself to type the entire word because it is so disrespectful and harmful to those with cognitive or mental disabilities or diagnoses.

Individuals with mental and cognitive disabilities used to be medically described using the r-word, but for a while now this label has been declared offensive and is no longer a term used to describe any type of individual.

Nowadays, many individuals use the r-word and other derogatory terms to look down upon people and use these terms as a way to call people "stupid" or "dumb". We as a society need to learn to cut these words from our vocabulary altogether.

I do not use the r-word or any other derogatory words, and I do try to correct everyone who uses the incorrect terms or does not use person first language.

Person-first language is very important this day in age because as our population grows, so does the population of individuals with disabilities. We need to completely eliminate individuals from being labeled as and seen as their disability. They are humans first, and their disabilities come second.

As you take all of these ideas into mind, any time you hear someone using the r-word or not using person-first language, correct them and explain to them what I just did in this article.

If you were one of these individuals, you would want to be seen for the love you share, your personality, and how much you care for those around you before someone labels you for your disability.

We are all humans first, and whatever disabilities or disorders we have come second.