Let's dive in: do we need to be sensitive about diabetes and language?

There’s a growing movement toward changing the language of diabetes so that it can be more empowering for people living with diabetes. It’s time to move away from calling diabetes a disease, people with diabetes patients and those living with diabetes diabetics. But why is it so important? We ask Australian diabetes advocate and language champion Renza Scibilia to talk us through it.

As a person with diabetes, you can call yourself whatever you want - it's not about us. We can use whatever language we want. But when it comes to the media, government and healthcare providers, there are specific words and imagery that we need to change. This is a very entertaining, fast-paced conversation about why language is important. Renza Scibilia's blog: Diabetogenic - real life with diabetes. · Our Language Matters: Diabetes Australia position paper on language. · South Africans with Diabetes Facebook community.