Offensive?
A friend of mine told me that using the terms "blind" and "deaf" is offensive. She said that I should say, "visually impaired" and "hearing impaired."
Now, I happen to have friends who have hearing impairments and others who have sight impairments who prefer to be use the terms blind or deaf. They do not like the term "impaired." No one has ever said to me, "I use a white cane because I am visually impaired" or "I use American Sign Language because I am hearing impaired." They say "I am blind," or "I am deaf."
Are the terms blind and deaf really that offensive?
Now, I happen to have friends who have hearing impairments and others who have sight impairments who prefer to be use the terms blind or deaf. They do not like the term "impaired." No one has ever said to me, "I use a white cane because I am visually impaired" or "I use American Sign Language because I am hearing impaired." They say "I am blind," or "I am deaf."
Are the terms blind and deaf really that offensive?