How to tell someone they are being offensive
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Tara Shekede

Tara, the founder of Me Plus More, mum of 3 young boys and 2 fish. Plus, I have enough plants to fill a small forest! I also have a bachelor’s degree in applied science and a master’s degree in international public health.
Published: Nov 2, 2022

How to tell someone they are being offensive

People with intellectual disabilities unfortunately face a lot of discrimination and misconceptions. This means that it is important to know how to tell someone if they are being offensive.
Some common misconceptions of people with intellectual disability include that they:

  • Are not capable of leading fulfilling lives
  • A burden on society
  • Are not capable of feeling or expressing emotions

This is absolutely not the case!
People with intellectual disabilities can live incredibly successful and fulfilling lives.

There are many ways to tell someone they are being offensive.

You can say:
“That’s offensive”
“Please stop”
“I don’t appreciate that”
It is important to be assertive when telling someone that they are being offensive, as this will help them understand that their behaviour is not acceptable.
Not only will this help others understand your point of view but it will also prevent them from offending others.
If someone in the workplace is being offensive to you, and you feel you cannot handle the situation alone, you should report this behaviour to your manager. It is important that you report abuse because this should not be tolerated.
Advocacy is an important part of ensuring that people with intellectual disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. There are many ways to advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. For example, you can educate yourself and others about intellectual disabilities, speak up when you see or hear someone being treated unfairly, and support organisations that work to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

If you want to learn more about intellectual disabilities, advocacy, or disability rights, there are many resources available.
Here are 3:
Know your rights : Disability discrimination

What to do if you’re discriminated against

Whats the power of a few words
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