20/10/2026
When living with health conditions and disabilities, the words we use and the way we express ourselves matter to who we are and who we are communicating with.
🟣Identity-first language
This is used when a health condition or disability is part of who the person is, part of their identity, culture, and part of their community.
Examples of Identity-first:
• “I am Autistic”
• “I am Deaf”
• “I am Disabled”
• “I am Diabetic”
• “I am Agoraphobic”
• “I am Epileptic”
• “I am Chronically ill”
🟠Person-first language
This is used when the person is put before their health condition or disability.
Examples of Person-first:
• “I have Autism”
• “I have EDS”
• “I have a Disability”
• “I have Diabetes”
• “I have Agoraphobia”
• “I have Epilepsy”
• “I have a Mental health condition”
Whichever way you choose to communicate is up to you; just choose wording that works for you, so when you need to express yourself to others, you feel comfortable doing so.❤️
Image Description: This post shows an image of examples of Identity-first language and person-first language. The image also has black text on the white background that states: Choose wording that works for you, so when you need to express yourself to others, you feel comfortable doing so.