There is no consensus on when this phrase first came into use, although it most likely grew out of the Disability Rights Movement that began in the early 1970s.
[citation needed] The concept may have started as a cynical play on existing rule sheets, written for audiences without a disability, that were seen as patronizing by civil rights activists.
[citation needed] Most disability etiquette guidelines seem to be predicated on a simple dictate: "Do not assume ..." They are written to address real and perceived shortcomings in how society as a whole treats disabled people.
"[1] Visually impaired people often list a request to, "identify yourself when you enter a room."
Like many other minority groups, disabled people do not always agree on what constitutes respectful language, and many may have contradicting views on what they prefer.