Should able-bodied people write disabled characters?

If we want our stories to feel real and well-rounded, it’s important to include disability along with other kinds of diversity, and not just make all our characters able-bodied and healthy by default. We need to write better, more thoughtful stories, ones that acknowledge and include them.

How do you write physically disabled characters?

Writers looking to diversify their characters will find these rules useful.

1. Choose different disabilities, not old standards.
2. Use your research well.
3. Explore what could be positive about your character’s disability.
4. Don’t give a character a disability simply because it’s convenient for the plot.

Is able-bodied an acceptable term?

In referring to people with disabilities, it is preferable to use language that focuses on their abilities rather than their disabilities. Therefore, the use of the terms “handicapped,” “able-bodied,” “physically challenged,” and “differently abled” is discouraged. Use “non-disabled” instead.

How do you write about the disabled?

Here are our five best tips for writing about people with disabilities.

1. Use person first language. Emphasize the person rather than their disability.
2. Avoid unnecessary attention.
3. Be neutral.
4. Use the words “deaf” and “blind” in conjunction with modified descriptions.
5. Accuracy.

Is ableist crippled?

Long story short: by using the word “cripple,” instead of some of the alternative words suggested below, you are succumbing to ableism by perpetuating the negative held beliefs surrounding people with disabilities.

How do you write a disabled story?

Develop your characters so they are beyond their physical limitations, giving them emotional complexity and powerful roles in the story.

1. Don’t shy away from discussing your character’s disability.
2. Disabilities are not tragic.
3. Don’t “get medical” unless you actually know what you are talking about.

What words should be avoided when describing someone with a disability?

Defect, birth defect, defective: Avoid these terms when describing a disability because they imply the person is somehow incomplete or sub-par. See entry on congenital disability . Demented, senile: Avoid describing someone as being demented or senile.

Should I disclose my disability in a media article?

Do not assume that people with disabilities are willing to disclose their disability. While some people prefer to be public about their disability, such as including information about their disability in a media article, others choose to not be publically identified as a person with a disability. 2. Emphasize abilities, not limitations.

How do you address a disabled person in a sentence?

Emphasize the individual not the disability. Rather than using terms such as disabled person, handicapped people, a crippled person , use terms such as people/persons with disabilities, a person with a disability, or a person with a visual impairment.

Can I refer to a person with disability as a patient?

Do not refer to a person with disability as a patient unless he/she is under medical care. It is preferable to use terms such as consumer or person with a disability rather than terms such as client.