Caroline McGrotty: "I think that people with disabilities need to work together in a coherent way because we're stronger together because, society is the one disables us."

I’m Deaf and I have a disability.

The Deaf Community have a strong preference to be described as a cultural linguistic minority, which is absolutely correct. For years, I would have always said I was Deaf, and I was not disabled.

Lately, I have come to accept the word disability, and that I have a disability.

Because I’ve noticed new terminology being used to describe and given to people with disabilities such as ‘challenges’, replacing the ‘dis’ with ‘diff’ making the word ‘diff-ability’ or ‘neurodiversity’. All of these new labels being created, all to avoid using the word disability.

I have a real issue with these terms, for example, being deaf is not a challenge I have to overcome.

Neurodiversity is used to described certain categories of disabilities, for example, autism, dyslexia, people who learn and use their brain in a different way. Yet Deaf people are not considered a part of this group, it excludes Deaf people, but why?!

We use sign language, using a different part of our brain requiring a considerable amount of visual-spatial processing to take in information. But yet, we are not considered as part of this category. So not only does it exclude Deaf people but it also excludes other people with disabilities too.

I think that people with disabilities need to work together in a coherent way because we're stronger together because, society is the one disables us.

#DisabilityIsntADirtyWord.