View a past chat on this topic here.

This #autchat is on language preferences for describing ourselves with respect to disability (for example, “person with a disability” versus “disabled person”).

Preferences can be contentious and personal.

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Preferences vary. Example: for autism, in a 2015 UK survey, when asked to choose ONE term to describe *themselves*:
about 1/4 chose “autistic” or “autistic person”
about 1/4 chose “has” or “person with” language
about 1/5 chose “on the autism spectrum”

https://www.west-info.eu/the-language-used-by-autism-communities-to-describe-autism/1362361315588200-full/

Q1: What are your language preferences when it comes to autism/similar neurodivergences? E.g., autistic, person with autism, something else? Why do you prefer that? #autchat

Q2: If you have other disabilities/are disabled in other ways, do you have language preferences for those? What are they? #autchat

Q3: Do you think your language preferences are relatively similar to other people in your community (or communities)? If they differ, how so? Do you have any thoughts on why? #autchat

Q4: How do you react when someone uses the wrong terminology for you? Do you correct them? If you correct them, how do you approach that? #autchat

Q5: Are there good ways to handle referring to a group of people with the same disability, if some people in the group want to use one term and others want to use a different one? #autchat

Questions for this chat were written by @flowerqueers.