Why The Way We Talk About Disability Matters

Air Date:
Heard On The Morning Show
Anthony Devlin/PA via AP

After the death of Stephen Hawking this spring, media outlets from around the globe ran stories about the physicist’s life and accomplishments. The majority of these stories referenced the fact that Hawking had ALS, but disability rights advocates take issue with some of the language used to describe it, such as he “suffered” from or was “paralyzed” by the disease. This hour, we look at how we talk about disability – both in the media, and in our everyday lives – why it matters, and how we can foster better discourse about disability.

NOTE: A transcript of the show can be found below. This document is a draft, and may contain unintentional errors.

Episode Credits

  • Kate Archer Kent Host
  • Chris Malina Producer
  • Lawrence Carter-Long Guest

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