word choice - Is it offensive to call people with autism "mentally disabled"?



I recently posted a post on Reddit about my app for people with autism, cerebral palsy and other diseases. Someone pointed out usage of "mental handicap" as offensive, but the comment has disappeared before I read it. Are these considered offensive?



  • Mental handicap

  • Mental disorder

  • Mental disease

  • Mentally disabled

  • Person with special needs

  • Mentally challenged


Could you please help me? I don't want to offend anybody. What are the best/"safest" terms to use?



Answer



Mental handicap - offensive. (period)


Mental disorder - not true of Cerebral Palsy (it affects physical movement only in a majority of cases) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy. Not universally accepted as true of all autism. https://www.mencap.org.uk/learning-disability-explained/conditions/autism-and-aspergers-syndrome


Mental disease - Not true of Cerebral Palsy (see above). Not universally accepted as true of all autism.


Mentally disabled - Not true of Cerebral Palsy (see above). Not universally accepted as true of all autism.


Person with special needs - is not generally considered offensive. But not everyone with the conditions you mentioned literally has 'special' needs. Many autistic and CP people live a full life in all areas without special support.


Mentally challenged - Not necessarily true of either condition. It implies they're stupid... when lot's of very bright people have one of these conditions.


The correct term to use in your app is neurological condition,


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