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.
