Identity-first language is a way of referring to individuals that emphasizes what they consider to be a core part of their identity: "autistic person."
Person-first language puts the person before their disability or condition. The theory is that someone is a person first and not defined by their disability: "a person with Down Syndrome."
While person-first language has become the globally accepted standard, there is debate within the disability community as to which method is preferred. If you are unsure about how to speak about or to someone with a disability, best practice is to respectfully ask their preference.
Writing Respectfully: Person-First and Identity-First Language
This article from the NIH first published in 2023 explains the differences between the two language methods and discusses some arguments for preference among the community.
Person-First & Identity-First Language: Supporting Students with Disabilities on Campus
"Language pertaining to the disability community has changed significantly over the years. Previous identity-first language has recently been replaced with person-first language. Person-first language places the emphasis on the person, then the disability. This is in contrast to identify-first language, which places the disability before the person. As a result of social movements, and an increase of global awareness about the disability community, language has evolved to meet what are believed to be more egalitarian standards. With such changes come changes in perspectives – people have begun to recognize people first, rather than their disabilities first. Despite that person-first language has become the globally accepted standard, there are still interesting debates regarding its use. Both identity-first and person-first language will be explored to understand the potential role disability language usage plays in creating inclusive college campuses."
Flink, P. (2021). Person-First & Identity-First Language: Supporting Students with Disabilities on Campus. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 45(2), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2019.1640147
ADANN Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities Factsheet
The ADA National Network offers information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act. This Factsheet, last updated in February of 2024, offers a 14 step guided approach to determining the best practice when speaking to or about an individual with disabilities.
APA Style Blog: Disability
The APA Style blog is the official companion to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition. It’s run by the APA Style team—a group of style experts who work with APA Style every day. This entry, last updated in June of 2022, offers a brief introduction to the style and grammar guidelines used by the APA when referring to Disability.
Stanford Disability Language Guide
"Language is dynamic and nuanced, changing at a rapid pace at along with social norms, perceptions, and opportunities for inclusion. The following, written by Labib Rahman and reviewed and approved by the Stanford Disability Initiative, is a starter guide (non-exhaustive, non-definitive) for considering disability equity (and practicing deference to individual experiences) in the words we use as an institutional community. Published July 2019."
Disability Language Style Guide
This guide is maintained by the National Center on Disability and Journalism. From the NCDJ: "As language, perceptions and social mores change rapidly, it is becoming increasingly difficult for journalists and other communicators to figure out how to refer to people with disabilities. Even the term “disability” is not universally accepted. This style guide, which covers dozens of words and terms commonly used when referring to disability, can help. The guide was developed by the National Center on Disability and Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and was last updated in the summer of 2021." The NCDJ Style Guide can be downloaded as a PDF.
