January 5th, 2010
Anybody looking for outdated disability language in the media found lots of examples in holiday coverage of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar.’ The futuristic movie fantasy’s main character is an injured Marine who uses a wheelchair.
Just for reference, the AP Stylebook offers the following guidance on describing people who use wheelchairs:
“People use wheelchairs for independent mobility. Do not use confined to a wheelchair or wheelchair-bound.”
(Source: 2009 AP Stylebook, edited by Darrell Christian, Sally Jacobsen and David Minthorn)
Following are a few samples:
“Confined to a wheelchair” — Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal
“Confined to a wheelchair” — Jeanne Wolf in Parade magazine
“Confined to a wheelchair” — Sarah Vilkomerson in the New York Observer
“Confined to a wheelchair” — Robert W. Butler in the Kansas City Star
“Wheelchair-bound” — Stephanie Zacharek in Salon.com
“Wheelchair-bound” — [UK] Independent
“Wheelchair-bound” — Tom Long in the Detroit News
“Wheelchair-bound” — Washington Post
“Wheelchair-bound” — Marshall Fine in the Huffington Post
“Wheelchair-bound” — Randy Myers in the Contra Costa [CA] Times
“Wheelchair-bound” — Frank Rose in Wired
“Wheelchair-bound” — Lisa Kennedy in the Denver Post
“Wheelchair bound” — Stanley A. Miller II in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Earlier post here.
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on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 2:51 pm and is filed under entertainment, language, media, movies, NOT2BEMISSED.
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January 6th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Way to call them out! What about the countless references about people “afflicted” or “suffering” from disability? I won’t even go into the lack of person-first language. The most used excuse: it is easier to say or uses less space. Poor excuse!