Disability etiquette

Disability etiquette is a set of guidelines dealing specifically with how to approach people with disabilities.

There is no consensus on when this phrase first came into use, although it most likely grew out of the Disability Rights Movement that began in the early 1970s. The concept may have started as a cynical play on existing rule sheets, written for non-disabled audiences, that were seen as patronizing by civil rights activists.

Most disability etiquette guidelines seem to be predicated on a simple dictate: "Do not assume ..." They are written to address real and perceived shortcomings in how society as a whole treats people with disabilities.

These guidelines can be broken down into the several broad categories.

"Do not assume ...":

Each category encompasses specific "rules." For example, the last two of these would include guidelines such as:

People writing on specific disabilities have given rise to their own unique guidelines. Wheelchair users may, for example, include the rule, "do not grab the push handles of a person's wheelchair without permission." Visually impaired people often list a request to, "identify yourself when you enter a room."

Like many other minority groups, people with disabilities do not always agree on what constitutes politically correct language. However, see the List of disability-related terms with negative connotations and people-first language.

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