How to talk about disability sensitively and avoid ableist tropes

People participate in the first annual Disability Pride Parade, in July 2015, in New York City. The parade calls attention to the rights of people with disabilities and coincides with the anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

Disability can be difficult to talk about sensitively because of how embedded ableism is in our language, biases and perceptions of disability.

Conversations about disability are slowly increasing, especially when it comes to ableist language and how disabled people are represented in the media.