UOW launches new Disability Terminology Guide

As part of a suite of guides addressing socially appropriate language and behaviour, the UOW Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team in collaboration with the Disability Inclusion Network have produced a new Disability Terminology Guide.

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Titled ‘You can’t say that! But consider this: Disability’, the guide provides information about neurodiversity, historic and societal implications of disability, how to be a disability ally and a glossary of terms you can and can’t say highlighting the difference between person and disability first language. 

For example, you can’t say: “On the spectrum” but you can say “Autistic person”. You can’t say “OCD” as a joke to refer to a preference for tidiness, but you can say “Person with a mental health condition.” 

As a way of recognising and acknowledging disability, a competition was held inviting staff and students with a lived experience of disability to create an artwork for the cover of the Disability Terminology Guide. Health Innovations kindly provided grant funding that supported the prizes for the competition winners.  

The winning artwork ‘Ocean and Mother Nature Healing’ by Tracy Anne Davis, a current Bachelor of Creative Arts student, has been featured as the main cover image for the online and downloadable guide. 

Tracy’s artwork description cites her mental health challenges while raising two daughters alone from the age of 21. Now aged 49, she says: “I wanted to have faith and belief in myself as a practising artist and continue my journey in Fine Arts at UOW... “when I escape into my worlds of colours, I feel free, have faith and much joy.” You can read more about Tracy's story here.

Find out more about the guide

Download the guide