Why You Should Stop Calling the Disabled As "People With Special Needs"
Semantic tyranny is an invisible harm
A euphemism is a pleasant and acceptable alternative to an offensive or unpleasant expression, like saying "passed away" instead of "died".
A substitute can never fully describe the original. Over time, euphemisms morph into Frankenstein's monsters that feed on the people whose sensibilities they sought to protect.
Euphemisms become dysphemisms when they acquire the nature of undesirable cliches. A dysphemism magnifies negativity by deliberately using harsh or unpleasant words, like "cancer stick" for "cigarette".
Has the expression "special needs" become a dysphemism?
A push back against labelling and stigma
The disabled community, parents of disabled people and advocates have raised the banner of revolt against calling the disabled people with special needs.
Lawrence Carter-Long, Public Affairs Manager of the National Council on Disability, created the Twitter hashtag #SayTheWord, which caught the imagination of the disabled community.
