The Disabled’s Toilet

I came across this sign on a toilet door recently: Disabled’s Toilet. I thought it sounded crude. Usually such toilet facilities are labeled as “Handicap Toilet”, or at least that is the case I most often see in Singapore. We have handicap parking lots, handicap access, etc. So I was a little surprised to see this sign. When I got back home, I Googled around on the topic of “Handicapped vs Disabled“, and I was surprised to learn many new things.

It seems in the rest of the world, or at least in the US, “disabled” is a preferred word over “handicapped”. In fact, the so-called politically correct term is “People with Disabilities”. The politically correct term would be a mouthful though.

The meaning of the two words are, apparently, remarkably different. “Disabled people” are people with disabilities, but whom still want to live their life. They do not want handouts and they do not want others to feel sorry for them. Handicapped people, on the other hand, are people with disabilities and use them as handicaps. They want special treatment, special discounts, and they want others to notice their plight.

These two words look like they mean the same thing, but are in fact quite different. So it seems like “disabled” is in fact the more politically appropriate term. I wonder why I don’t see more of this word being used here in Singapore.