I’m Dyspraxic and I am proud of who I am

The Purpose of this blog is to promote The Dyspraxia Foundation E book' "Dyspraxic Adults Surviving in a NonDyspraxic World" self help book for dyspraxic adults. All proceeds go to the Dyspraxia Foundation Adult support groups. Available on Amazon for £9.99

Please note that soon I will be voted in as Adult Advisor for the Dyspraxia Foundation, this post is not the opinion of the DF but my own personal views. Whether my influence changes their views are another matter. :-)

 This blog is an attempt to explain “People First” or “Person First Language” and why I do not think this is appropriate for Dyspraxics. There are regional and international charities named “People First” who are self advocacy and peer support charities for People with Learning Disabilities.  In this case I’m referring to people identifying themselves as a person with a disability rather than identifying themselves by their disability. or in other words "identity first language". For example a “Person with Dyspraxia” rather than “Dyspraxic”.

Yesterday I went to the Manchester Autism Show at Event City to represent the Dyspraxia Foundation, sell our book and to network with Autistic groups and Autistic individuals. Russell Stronach very generously gave me space for my leaflets on their Autistic UK stand. Some organisations are for “People with Autism” or who “have Autism. and others are for “Autistics”. The former organisations are usually run by parents and professionals and the latter are run by Autistics. Autistic UK argues that neurology is not and accessory like a handbag but that they are Autistic. An Identity  First Autistic campaigner designed a mug which gives a clear visual explanation as to why Autistic UK prefers this term.

 

Neurology is not an accessory

The Dyspraxia Foundation uses the term People with dyspraxia at the moment they are a cross between parent and professional led organisation and one led by Dyspraxic Adults. This is because the Dyspraxia Foundation has an Adult Advisory panel led by a Dyspraxic Adults and the majority of the Advisory Panel are Dyspraxic Adults with varying expertise and skills. However it would be rather short-sighted to disallow non Dyspraxic Adults to share their expertise as it would be cutting of our noses to spite our faces.  However they will have to have an understanding of the Social Model of Disability. The majority of the panel should be Dyspraxic Adults. I think there are about 4 Dyspraxic adults who are DF Trustees. (I will change this if there are more). I prefer to be identified as Dyspraxic as it is who I am.

The term ‘dyspraxic’ is used throughout.  “Dyspraxic Adults Living in a Non-Dyspraxic World”(This is a link to Amazon) to describe us. This does not intend to medicalise us but to highlight our marginalisation from a society designed for non-dyspraxics in the same way that the term ‘disabled people’ is used to describe the way disabled people are excluded from society. It is our intention to reclaim the word ‘dyspraxic’ as something to be proud of. (Janet Taylor, Chapter 1, 2015)

Why does terminology matter?

“The medical model suggests that the disabled person is a tragic victim and uses terms such as ‘sufferer of dyspraxia’. People using this model normalise themselves using phrases such as ‘battling with dyspraxia’, ‘overcoming their dyspraxia’ (suggesting that they have somehow cured themselves.) Terms such as ‘in spite of their dyspraxia’, suggests that they can fit into a non-dyspraxic world.  In social model terms they are not ‘suffering from dyspraxia’ but are ‘suffering from a lack of dyspraxia awareness’. They are not battling with their dyspraxia or overcoming their dyspraxia but battling with and overcoming disabling barriers. They are not achieving in spite of their dyspraxia, but are achieving in spite of societies’ disabling barriers.”

Many dyspraxics are unnecessarily discriminated against due to a badly designed building or environment, with bright florescent lighting in noisy environments and discriminatory attitudes and practices in institutions such as education and employment. Such barriers bar many dyspraxics from obtaining an adequate education, a job, an adequate income, and opportunities for inclusion in society”. (Janet Taylor 2015, Chapter 4)

The next step is to persuade Dyspraxic Adults why this is the preferred term and hopefully get my Dyspraxic peers to agree then pass it on to the Trustees to let them know that we prefer to be identified as being Dyspraxic.