Disabled is a word that needs to be redefined

Bionic actress, athlete and model Aimee Mullins redefines the word “disabled.”

From TEDMED 2009.

Comments

Jake
Reading a list of words from a thesaurus is not very helpful.
Redefining terms may be helpful from a politically correct standpoint (eg. replacing retarded with intellectually challenged, replacing Negro with colored then with black then with African-American, etc.), but where does this really get us (other than making sure we are politically correct)?

Julie
Jake: I’m sorry that all you were able hear were the words read from a list. Ms. Mullins was telling a story, painting a picture of what disability is perceived as…in people. Yes, words are descriptors and many of the “politically correct” words you mentioned are not redefinitions of the people that they categorize, but words we find more comfortable.
I would suggest you watch the video again, its quite exceptional.
I would also encourage you to actually meet a disabled person, your comments would have all that read them assume that you never have.
You are missing out my friend.

amy
Ha ! If you would live in a formal communist country (you know, one of those countries where health care is “free” ) , disabled would be just that : disabled, weak, impotent, etc… No politically correctness needed.
K.Jameel Ahmed
The “DAPWID” (Differentially Abled Person With Disability) or “DAPWIDA” (Differentially Abled Person With Different Ability), could be their identity

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