Before we can discuss ableist terms, I think it’s important to define what ableism is and what it means for our society. Ableism, by literal definition, is the favoring of able-bodied people and discrimination of disabled people. Ableism is the belief that an able-bodied person is better than, superior to, or more valuable than a disabled person. Ableism can manifest in a variety of ways, such as assuming incompetence, segregation in schools (think general education vs. special education), and portraying disabilities as “inspirational” or “devastating.” Ableism includes stereotypes, discrimination and prejudices and, just like sexism and sexism, deems an entire population as “inferior” to another.

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