Why I adopted the people first philosophy

How would you feel if someone defined you as the issue you struggle with the most? The thing that hinders us from achieving the next step? Then why, oh why do we do this with those who struggle daily with a disability.

We're so quick to define someone who has a disability by that name. Like someone who has autism becomes an autistic person. Someone who has a mental impairment becomes known as mentally challenged. Another who struggles with bipolar tendencies becomes the bipolar person.

This is something that I've learned with working with those who have disabilities. They don't want to be known for their impairments. They want to be known for who they are.

Are we any different?

I'll pick on myself. There are a long list of things I could use. For the sake of this example, let's use my often crippling battle with insecurity.

I don't want to be known as "insecure Amy." I want to be known as "Amy who struggles with insecurity." They say the same thing, but one labels me to being defeated by my issue, the other tells you who I am but informs you of a struggle I have.

I bet you can do it to. Go ahead, think of your greatest/most annoying struggle. Then insert it in the spaces below.

Hello, I'm Insert struggle followed by name

Or

Hello, I'm Insert name I struggle with Insert struggle.

Which do you prefer?

So let me challenge you with this. When you meet some one, anyone, instead of seeing that person in view of their circumstance, their struggle, or their disability, look past that and see the person first. Everything else second.