From Disability to Functional Diversity

Conceptualizations about Disability arising from Social, Scientific and Cultural Context, for that reason these terms have changed over time.

All the words carry associated ideas that represent characteristics of what is named. To change these ideas it is necessary to change those words.

Formerly, people who used wheelchairs were called “handicapped” or “disabled”. Over time these terms were considered derogatory and were replaced by the term “disability”. In 2005, the Forum for Independent Living, considered that the disability concept also gave negative connotations and proposed the term “Functional Diversity”.

It is considered that a person has functional diversity when their abilities are different from those of others. Disability, whatever it maybe, causes its features to be different, and sometimes requires special needs to perform daily activities (like writing on the computer,  going up or down the stairs, turning on the light etc ...).

It is considered that functional diversity is not related to the condition, paralysis, impairment or deficiency. This terminology derives from the medical rehabilitation model, which considers that people should be cured and rehabilitated to include them in society. With the introduction of the term functional diversity, the aim is to change our way of seeing things, and reach a model of diversity. Using this model seeks to provide full dignity, which means granting equal rights to all people, whatever their diversity. For this reason, the model of diversity developed in Spain, in late 2006.

Enjoy this video that shows you what is necessary to understand the diversity.