Person-first language has been an integral part of the disability rights movement for decades. Person-first language emphasizes the importance of putting the person first, rather than the disability, when thinking and speaking about people with disabilities. In person-first language, for example, we’ve learned to say, “person with autism” rather than “autistic person.”
However, in recent years some people express their experience of disability as an integral part of their identity and prefer identity-first language. Growing numbers of autistic individuals prefer identity-first language because they experience autism as a form of neurodiversity—a difference in brain function. Autistic self-advocacy organizations such as the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and the U.K.’s National Autistic Society are examples of this preference.
As a teacher of transition students, use whatever term the individual you’re working with prefers. For example, some may prefer the term “neurodivergent” or “autistic” while others may prefer a person-first descriptor such as “I have autism spectrum disorder” or “I have an autism diagnosis.”
You can also increase your knowledge about identity-first language with the resources below—your students may be investigating their own identity through the lens of their disability, and your knowledge gives you the ability to encourage their own self-discovery. Autism Awareness and Acceptance month is a great time to learn about respectful language in the autism community!
Resources