Person First or Identity First Language: What Should Instructors Use?

If you’ve been teaching adaptive or therapeutic riding lessons for any amount of time, you’ve probably come across this question:
Should I use person first or identity first language when I talk about my students?

It’s a question I remember wrestling with in my early teaching years—and honestly, it’s still something that gets talked about (or sometimes not talked about enough) in our industry.

Let’s dig into this together. Not with judgment or finger-pointing, but with clarity and curiosity—so we can make sure we’re using respectful and professional language when we talk to and about our students.

What Do These Terms Even Mean?

Let’s start with some quick definitions so we’re on the same page.

Person first language puts the person before their diagnosis.
You might say:

“I teach students with autism.”
“That rider has Down Syndrome.”
“Sally has ADHD.”

Identity first language leads with the diagnosis.
You might hear:

“My autistic student.”
“That’s my Down Syndrome student.”
“He’s ADHD.”

There’s also a subtle difference in verbs that can show up:

“Has autism” (person first) vs. “Is autistic” (identity first).
“Has Down Syndrome” vs. “Is Down Syndrome” or “Is Downs.”

These choices may feel small, but they carry meaning—and intention.

What’s Considered Professional in Our Field?

When in doubt, default to person first language—especially when you don’t know the student or their family well.

Why?

Because person first language prioritizes what matters most: they are a person first. A human being before anything else. It’s respectful, professional, and safe as a starting point—especially when you’re building a new relationship.

That said, language isn’t one-size-fits-all. And things are changing.

Certain communities—like the autism, Deaf, and blind communities—are increasingly embracing identity first language. In some cases, it’s about pride and ownership. For example, many autistic adults I’ve worked with prefer to be identified that way—it’s a core part of how they view themselves.

So how do we navigate that?

We listen. We ask. And we stay open.

What I Do in My Lessons

Here’s how I approach it as an instructor:

I start with person first language by default.
During intakes or early lessons, I listen to how the student and their family talk.
If I’m unsure, I ask:
“Would you prefer that I say ‘you have autism’ or ‘you’re autistic’ when I’m speaking about you?”

When in doubt or if I forget—because hey, it happens—I return to person first. It’s a safe and respectful fallback.

What If Other Instructors Use Identity First Language?

You’ll hear it around the barn. Maybe from an older instructor, someone from a different country, or someone newer to adaptive riding.

Here’s what I suggest:

Lead by example. Use the language you want to see normalized.
Offer a conversation, not correction. If you feel comfortable, pull them aside kindly and talk it through. Most people mean well—they just may not be aware of the distinction or that preferences are evolving.

This isn’t about calling people out. It’s about calling people into the conversation.

Keep the Conversation Going

We’re in a field where language matters. The way we speak about our students reflects how we view them—as individuals, as riders, as human beings with goals, preferences, and strengths.

Let’s be mindful. Let’s stay curious. And let’s keep learning, just like we ask our students to do every week.

Now I want to hear from you:

What language were you taught to use when you started teaching?
Has your perspective changed?
How do you handle conversations around phrasing with volunteers or new instructors?