handicaps

Handicaps are disadvantages that impede an individual’s ability to participate in activities, due to impairment, environmental barriers, or social obstacles. The term has several usages, ranging from formal systems used to adjust competition in sports to broader references to limitations people face in daily life. Because of evolving language and sensitivity, the term is interpreted differently across contexts.

In disability discourse, many adopt the social or rights-based perspective, which emphasizes removing barriers rather than "fixing" the person. In this view, handicap can imply an external limitation created by design or policy. Modern preference often favors "disability" or "people with disabilities" rather than "handicapped" or "handicaps" when referring to individuals.

Sporting handicaps are formal mechanisms to level competition. In golf, a player's handicap translates potential ability into adjustments to strokes; in horse racing, weights are assigned to horses to equalize chances; other sports use point spreads or starting handicaps to balance events.

In policy and accessibility, addressing handicaps involves removing barriers through accommodations and universal design. Laws and standards guide accessible facilities, communication, transportation, and education, enabling participation by those with impairments.

Terminology continues to evolve; while "handicap" remains common in some domains, many institutions prefer disability-centered language. The concept remains central to debates on inclusion, accessibility, and equity.