What is the 'Person-First Language' principle?

What is the 'Person-First Language' principle?

• A. A way of speaking that emphasizes the disability before the person.
• B. A way of speaking that emphasizes the person before the disability, such as saying 'a person with a disability' rather than 'a disabled person'.
• C. A style of speaking that avoids using the word 'disability'.
• D. A term used only when describing medical diagnoses.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is to respect the person by putting the individual before the disability. Person-first language describes someone as “a person with a disability,” not “a disabled person.” This approach treats disability as one aspect of who a person is, not the label that defines them, which supports dignity, autonomy, and inclusion in care. That’s why the best answer uses the example of wording that emphasizes the person first. It exactly captures putting the person before the condition and naming the person as a whole. The other ideas don’t fit because they either flip the emphasis (focusing on the disability before the person), suggest avoiding the term entirely, or imply the rule only applies in medical contexts.

The main idea is to respect the person by putting the individual before the disability. Person-first language describes someone as “a person with a disability,” not “a disabled person.” This approach treats disability as one aspect of who a person is, not the label that defines them, which supports dignity, autonomy, and inclusion in care.

That’s why the best answer uses the example of wording that emphasizes the person first. It exactly captures putting the person before the condition and naming the person as a whole.

The other ideas don’t fit because they either flip the emphasis (focusing on the disability before the person), suggest avoiding the term entirely, or imply the rule only applies in medical contexts.