Il lessico della disabilità. Itinerari per disinnescare l’odio

The article examines the ethical, political, and cultural implications of language on disability. It considers how certain terms may carry or reinforce disablist biases, even when used without explicit derogatory intent. Starting with the analysis of the term «disability», it highlights how the social meaning of language can be shaped beyond etymology, thanks to strategies of reappropriation and resistance of the disabled community. The paper then addresses the specific nature of derogatory terms related to disability, particularly their medical origins. Ultimately, it calls for a situated political awareness of the terms used to name disability, to avoid hurtful and dehumanising perspectives.