TOPIC: the word disability?

What do you think of when you see the word 'disability'?

Wheelchairs? White sticks? The Paralympics? Most of us have never really thought about it. Want the legal definition?

"Someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities."

This affects about 650 million of us, worldwide. About one in every six adults of working age in the UK. Only 17% of people with a disability are born with it.

Most become disabled during the course of their life. So maybe the term Temporarily Able Bodied (TAB) is better for those of us who are not disabled, because we may not stay that way forever.

Disabled is such an awful word. I prefer your definition. Ablehere. We are able if given the opportunity and access to the world. I refuse to be disabled from normal life. I have as much right as any other person, to shop, go into restaurants, pubs and live a so called normal life. If people have a problem with me its their problem not mine. If they don't like to see me eating or shakinng they can choose another place to sit or walk away. Most people are accommodating but there will always be some who arn't. It might be the color of your skin, it might be children, it might be ageism. Inconvenience. But our money is as good as anybody else's and we have as much right to live and enjoy life. A phrase comes to mind. "There but for the grace of God" I never apologise for my condition. Why should I?

The word Disabled or Disability is a horrible word, whenever my husband & I are booking a holiday and are looking at hotels at home and ring a travel agent to ask about a hotel and ask the important question ' does the room have a walk in shower as I can't get into a bath as I'm disabled' you can guarantee the person on the phone will say 'I'm terribly sorry' and that makes me want to scream!

The trouble is Bubbadog the British are obsessed with the word sorry. As a disabled person fairly new to the difficulties of moving around I too, want to scream because when I get in the way the innate urge to apologise seems to come. Thing is. Mostly I'm not sorry. I have as much right to life, living and moving as others. I have to keep reminding myself of this!

I don't mind when "people with disabilities" is used, because it says "people" first.

I agree with ArtistJimmy so would you rather be called handicapped that is a word i cannot tolerate as it if you go into the word its like a beggar cap in hand I don't do that I live my life to me I do not want to be labeled anything disability, impaired that is for jam jars labels are I am me my name is Roger that is my name call me it everyone that has unique differences like us here are unique like everyone else for example I am not like ta disabled 55 year old man in say USA I am Roger a kiwi so just be you your name