Just Between Us: Disability Language, Pride & Power

About this episode

Erin and Lily discuss the importance of disability language and how it shapes identity and advocacy.

Your co-hosts Erin & Lily bring another “Just Between Us” conversation to Everything You Know About Disability Is Wrong . This time, they’re diving into disability language: why euphemisms like “differently abled” miss the mark, how identity-first vs. person-first language is used, and why words matter. They share stories from their own journeys—how language has shaped their identities, how it can affirm or erase, and why offering grace and education is often the most powerful tool. With humor, honesty, and a few reframes, Erin and Lily show how shared vocabulary can build connection and strengthen advocacy. Timestamps 00:38 Just Between Us: why language matters 01:40 Creating a disability language guide for Easterseals 02:40 Why euphemisms like “differently abled” don’t work 03:09 Identity-first vs. person-first explained 04:25 The importance of respecting personal preference 05:41 Autistic identity and self-definition 07:12 Erin’s shift from person-first to identity-first 08:55 Why treatment matters more than terminology 10:15 Writing and marketing with respectful language Connect with Lily Newton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-newton-3b0b5b229 Website…

People in this episode

Hosts: Erin, Lily

Topics covered

• disability language
• identity-first language
• person-first language
• advocacy
• communication
• self-definition

Keywords

• disability
• language
• euphemisms
• identity
• advocacy
• communication
• self-definition

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Easterseals

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