Lieke van Heumen

Lieke van Heumen is a clinical associate professor in disability and human development at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She has expertise in the impact of language on perceptions of disability, particularly focusing on how terms like 'mental retardation' have evolved and become slurs over time. Van Heumen advocates for the respectful treatment of individuals with disabilities and emphasizes the harmful effects of derogatory language in shaping societal attitudes and policies.