Disability Discrimination & Disability Pride Month

Here's What You Need to Know About Ableism

Disability Discrimination 101 and Ways to be Anti-Ableist

Hey y'all!! 

I wanted to share this article I found by Rebecca Finkelstein, the Digital Advocacy writer at Diversability, a community of people with disabilities (and their allies), who are on a mission to elevate disability pride. 

Rebecca is a lifelong student with a disability and found it not only perplexing but also offensive that she never learned about ableism in school, leaving her feeling unheard and unrepresented. She explains to us why Disability Pride Month is important, provides us with examples to broaden our understanding of types of ableism, encourages us to check our own implicit ableism, and notes common sense ways to combat it.

It's well worth the read!

"If people with disabilities are the world’s largest minority, consisting of about 15% of the world’s population (over one billion people), why are we not talking about it more?"

Could it be due to ableism?

A note from Rebecca: 

"This information is by no means comprehensive, but I hope it provides you with the groundwork and knowledge for continued learning, growth and reflection."

TL Lewis and Dustin Gibson, define ableism as:

 “A system that places value on people’s bodies and minds based on societally constructed ideas of normalcy, intelligence, excellence and productivity. These ideas are deeply rooted in anti-Blackness, eugenics, colonialism and capitalism. This form of systemic oppression leads to people and society determining who is valuable and worthy based on a person’s appearance and/or their ability to satisfactorily [re]produce, excel and “behave.” 

You do not have to be disabled to experience ableism.

Simply put, ableism is both harmful and pervasive, and is normalized in our culture. This is due to a variety of reasons, such as limiting beliefs about what disability does or does not mean, how people learn (or don’t learn) about disability, as well as the overall devaluing and limiting of people with disabilities.

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Ableism Comes in Many Forms and is Experienced in Many Ways 

Here is a quick review of some of the different types of ableism you may have experienced or be consciously and unconsciously perpetuating:

Systemic or Institutional Ableism

Systemic or institutional ableism includes the physical barriers, policies, laws, regulations and practices that exclude people with disabilities from full participation and equal opportunity.

This can be seen through lack of accessibility or accommodations in schools and in the workplace, when buildings aren’t accessible (i.e. no ramps or elevators, no interpreters available), or through ableism in healthcare, such as limited or no insurance coverage for people with ‘pre-existing conditions,’ or triage policies that allow doctors to deny care based on factors including a patient’s medical history and disabilities.

Ableism has strong historical roots and is well-ingrained into our systems. Think about how it continues to impact our policies and actions today!

Internalized Ableism 

Internalized ableism is a practice where disabled people internalize the discriminatory ideas and prejudices from our ableist culture and society. This may result in feelings of being lesser than or inferior, or feeling like you aren’t entitled to certain things due to your disability.

For example, thinking that you should lower your relationship standards, because ‘who would want to be with someone who has a disability?’ Internalized ableism could also be not asking for accommodations you are entitled to, as to not bother someone or feel like a burden.

These are tough thoughts and feelings to have, and they can require a lot of self-challenging and support to address and unlearn.

Ableist Microaggressions

Finally, we have ableist microaggressions which is indirect, subtle, possibly unintentional discrimination against individuals based on their disability. These take the form of statements, actions, incidents, or exclusions.

Ableist microaggressions happen quite often, as do microaggressions with many other forms of discrimination. In fact, you may be the culprit of engaging in microaggressions yourself!

Have you ever asked someone with a disability if they have tried X? Or maybe even if you could pray for them? Perhaps you’ve said something like ‘wow I couldn’t do that’, or ‘you don’t look and act disabled,’ and even congratulated someone with a disability for something not worth the congratulations (i.e. getting dressed, going out for dinner etc).

Ableist microaggressions happen all the time and can be extremely damaging. It is important to think before you speak, but more importantly to think about why what you are saying may in fact be a product of ableism.

How to Tackle Ableism

A crucial component of dismantling any form of discrimination is showcasing and highlighting individuals with lived experience. The same applies to ableism, where there must be an emphasis on empowering and sharing the voices, experiences and ideas of people with any and all disabilities.

What YOU (an ally or a person with a disability) Can Do About It

• NOT ask super personal questions about someone’s disability 👎

When I was first diagnosed with amblyopia at a young age and began wearing eye patches, I remember vividly coming into my elementary school with peers asking invasive, personal questions about my condition, making me uncomfortable with myself.

• Be empathetic, sincere, and open👍

Being empathetic, sincere, and open to where the other person is coming from can help them feel heard.

• NOT presume that someone with a disability is incapable👎

While I am waiting in line to order food, most servers/waiters won’t even ask me if they can help, because seeing my disability, they just assume I am either waiting for someone, or incapable of placing the order, and carrying the food. They automatically go to the able-bodied people behind me.

• Acknowledge people with disabilities and presume competence👍

Acknowledge someone with a disability. Even if it is just asking them: “are you next in line?”

• NOT avoid the subject of health and disability altogether👎

Ableism has impacted all areas of my life, but most importantly education and relationships. I’ve faced many barriers when it comes to accommodation and accessibility in traditional schooling. My abilities were underestimated and I struggled with my grades because I lacked that support. I lost a lot of friends because they wanted to avoid the subject of my health or turned me away when I wasn’t at school every day.

• Point out barriers to others👍

I address ableism by pointing out the barriers built into society – it’s hard for individuals to “overcome” them. I also try to demonstrate how I can accomplish things in my own way, and I’m not less worthy if I’m unable to keep up with everyone else.

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Disability Pride Month is a chance for the community I call home to show you all of our beauty. It is also a time for all disabled people to unapologetically celebrate our bodies as they are. Whether you are disabled or an ally, Disability Pride Month is full of so much to celebrate. 

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So, what do y'all think? 

This article was exactly what you needed to read today! 

Now ask yourself, how have you unintentionally been ableist and how can you correct that behavior? 

Below is a link to Rebecca's original story and more information on Diverability, and additional resources on Disability Pride Month. I urge you to check them out. 

When we know better, we can do better.

EM

REFERENCES

12 Ways to Celebrate Disability Pride Month (goodgoodgood.co)

What You Need to Know About Ableism — Diversability (mydiversability.com)