Empathy, Language and Truly Seeing People with Disabilities
Empathy, Language and Truly Seeing People with Disabilities Empathy isn’t just about feeling sorry for someone, it’s about really trying to understand what they’re going through, from their perspective. It’s about pausing long enough to imagine what life might be like if you were in their shoes. When it comes to people with disabilities, empathy can be the key that helps us move from just “being aware” to actually making a difference in how we interact, support, and include. Let’s start with something simple, yet surprisingly powerful: the words we use. You’ve probably heard of “People First” language, it means saying “a person with a disability” instead of “a disabled person.” That small shift reminds us that we’re talking about a person first. Someone with dreams, relationships, talents, and stories, not just someone defined by their diagnosis. It might feel like a technicality, but for many people, it’s about dignity. It’s about being seen as more than a label. Still, using the righ...