(Voiceover):
This is an announcement from Scope
Should you meet a disabled person scope says hide
No not hide, hide
H say hi
I introduce yourself
D don’t panic
E end the awkward
Find out how you can H.I.D.E at scope.org.uk
Two thirds of Brits say they feel awkward around disabled people. Some people feel so awkward they avoid disabled people all together.
Since disabled people make up about 1 in 5 of the British population, that’s a lot of time feeling pretty uncomfortable. It’s time to put a stop to it.
End the Awkward is our campaign aimed at helping people feel more comfortable about disability. The campaign uses humour to get people thinking differently.
For more tips, watch our End the Awkward videos on YouTube.
Some disabled people may use controversial language when talking about themselves. That’s their choice, but it doesn’t mean they’d be happy for you to use it.
There are some words that many disabled people find hurtful or harsh because they:
Here are some tips on language that most people prefer:
You could say | Never say |
---|---|
Disabled person Disabled people | Cripple |
Non-disabled person Non-disabled people | Able-bodied |
Deaf person Deaf people | The deaf |
Blind person Blind people | The blind |
Dwarf Person with Dwarfism People with Dwarfism | Midget |
Person with a learning difficulty People with learning difficulties | Retard Slow Simple |
Person with Down's Syndrome People with Down's Syndrome | Downs |
Challenges of mental health | Mental patient |
A wheelchair user Wheelchair users | Wheelchair-bound |
Read more about the social model of disability.
End the Awkward is a light-hearted campaign, but it addresses a serious issue. Attitudes towards disabled people are better than 20 years ago, but we still have a long way to go.
This campaign is one part of our wider research, policy and campaign work. We speak out against negative attitudes and campaign on all kinds of issues disabled people face.
With this campaign, we have tried to find a way to get people talking about disability and to break down some of the barriers that exist between disabled people and the general public.