Person-First Language

Person-first language is a linguistic convention that places the person before the disability or condition, such as "person with a disability" or "person with autism," with the intent of emphasizing personhood over diagnosis. While widely adopted in professional and medical contexts, person-first language is debated within disability communities. Many autistic self-advocates and Deaf community members prefer identity-first language (e.g., "autistic person," "Deaf person"), viewing their disability or condition as an integral part of their identity rather than something separate. Best practice in accessibility work is to follow the preference of the individual or community being referenced.