A disability terminology makeover for Wyoming?

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A disability terminology makeover for Wyoming?

By Dynes

http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2008/02/03/local_news_updates/20lo

cal_02-03-08.txt

Note to state agencies: Please delete the term " mental retardation "

from your lexicon.

This is the goal of a House joint resolution to update agency

documents with terms that are more respectful to people with

disabilities.

A similar, more comprehensive Senate file seeks to rewrite existing

state statute to remove a number of medical terms considered archaic.

And it's time these hurtful words were removed, said Aurelia Lemus, a

Laramie resident and member of the self-advocacy group People First

of Wyoming.

" Who likes to be called (mentally retarded)? " she said. " It's not a

nice word. "

Sen. Mike Massie, D-Laramie, who is a co-sponsor for both measures,

said the changes reflect the way today's society views and describes

people with disabilities.

" The motive behind the People First Language (legislation) is to

notice that you are talking to a person first, " he added. " This is

not a disabled man; this is a man with a disability. "

Because this is a budget session, non-budget items require two-thirds

majority vote to be introduced.

House Joint Resolution 4, " Designation of disabilities, " is non-

binding and only recommends that state agencies review the language

used in official documents.

The resolution offers the term " persons with a disability " as a

replacement and suggests reviewing the alternate terms used by other

states.

Senate File 38, " People first language, " revisits several existing

state statutes, replacing the phrase " mental retardation "

with " intellectual disability. "

The term " infirmities " is replaced with " medical conditions, "

while " seriously emotionally disturbed youth " is altered to " youth

with serious emotional disabilities. "

Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, who co-sponsors both measures, said via e-

mail that is not his first attempt to " recognize people's dignity

through references in the law. " He sponsored a successful

constitutional amendment to remove another archaic reference - the

term " idiots. "

" I have been arguing for more people first language for a long time, "

Case said. " And earlier this year the local People First group asked

me to do something. "

of the Wyoming Epilepsy Association said the proposed

changes show a great deal of respect for people with disabilities and

address these individuals in a more appropriate manner.

" That's where the term People First came from, " he added. " It's the

person first and the disability second. "