Avoid language that defines people by disability (EK00030)
People-first wording keeps documentation accurate and respectful instead of defining readers by a disability. Learn why, with examples and fixes.
People-first wording names the person before the condition, which keeps your documentation accurate and respectful instead of reducing someone to a disability. EkLine flags terms that describe a person as their disability, such as handicapped or a victim of (rule EK00030).
Why use people-first language in documentation?
Section titled “Why use people-first language in documentation?”Terms like “handicapped” or “crippled” reduce a person to a single trait and often carry outdated connotations. People-first phrasing, such as “users with disabilities”, describes the same group without that framing. This wording matches the accessibility standards most documentation teams follow, so it also keeps your content consistent with related guidelines.
What EkLine flags
Section titled “What EkLine flags”EK00030 matches terms that define people by a disability, including “handicapped”, “crippled”, “able-bodied”, and “a victim of”.
- ❌ Incorrect: The feature helps handicapped users navigate the app.
- ✅ Correct: The feature helps users with disabilities navigate the app.
- ❌ Incorrect: The layout is tested with able-bodied users.
- ✅ Correct: The layout is tested with users without disabilities.
How to fix
Section titled “How to fix”Rewrite the phrase to put the person first, then describe the condition: “handicapped users” becomes “users with disabilities”, and “able-bodied users” becomes “users without disabilities”.
What is people-first language?
Section titled “What is people-first language?”People-first language names the person before any condition, such as “users with disabilities” rather than “handicapped users”. It describes the same group without reducing anyone to a single trait.
What can you write instead of “handicapped” or “able-bodied”?
Section titled “What can you write instead of “handicapped” or “able-bodied”?”Write “users with disabilities” in place of “handicapped users”, and “users without disabilities” in place of “able-bodied users”. Both put the person first and describe the condition accurately.
Rule details
Section titled “Rule details”| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Rule ID | EK00030 |
| Category | Inclusive language |
| Default severity | Error |
| Enabled by default | Yes |
Ignore this rule
Section titled “Ignore this rule”To keep a flagged term on one line, add an inline comment with a reason:
<!-- ekline-ignore-next-line EK00030 -- official program name -->Apply through the Handicapped Access Grant program.To disable the rule across your project, add it to the ignore list in your configuration file.