Small steps we can take toward a more inclusive future
“Things that most people just don’t notice are huge barriers,” says Kierstyn, a legal aide who lives with rheumatoid arthritis. “Uneven ground, curbs, stairs…these may as well be unpassable rivers for me.”
Barry, a senior communications professional who has hearing loss due to a childhood illness, encounters different challenges: “Virtual meetings are hardest for me because I can’t read lips. Until recently captions were not available or of poor quality.”
Those without disabilities are often oblivious to the obstacles that people like Kierstyn and Barry encounter as they go about their day; but this lack of awareness is precisely what prevents people from examining the implicit biases, harmful behavior, and hurtful language at the very heart of ableism.
Ableism consists of the beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities
According to the CDC, more than 1 in 4 people in the United States—about 70 million adults—report having a disability in mobility, cognition, independent living, hearing, vision, and self-care. Around 10% of people with disabilities have an invisible condition such as epilepsy, PTSD, or major depressive disorder.
With such a large swath of the population affected, why is ableism still so pervasive? Aside from the fear of becoming disabled and general lack of awareness, learned social behaviors—such as being taught to pity or “help” someone because it’s assumed they can’t do things for themselves, participating in name calling and mockery, and using ableist language—are deeply entrenched in our culture.
Microaggressions: Subtle, unintentional, harmful
Microaggressions are everyday slights and indignities aimed at people with disabilities, and those engaging in them are often unaware they’re committing them. Common ableist microaggressions include:
- Assumptions about ability: “I am constantly being asked if I need help,” says Amy, a project manager who has physical limitations due to an accident. “People seem to think that someone with a physical disability also has cognitive impairments.”
- Using offensive or diminishing language: Peter, a retired technology manager, says, “I hate when folks use terms like ‘crazy,’ ‘insane,’ and ‘psycho,’ or describe someone as ‘off their meds.’” Kierstyn adds, “Gimp, lurch, comments about my weight (which is heavy because I literally cannot exercise with my joint issues). I’ve gotten it all.” And Barry says, “I’ve had peers and management laugh or make insensitive comments when I mishear something or don’t respond quickly or accurately.”
- Questioning the legitimacy of someone’s disability: “Not all disabilities are seen,” says Peter. “There are a lot of stigmas with mental health in general. It always seems hush-hush compared to physical disabilities.”
- Offering unsolicited help: “I’ve had people rip things out of my hand to ‘try to help,’” Amy says. “I’m here to tell you—not helping!”
And there’s still pervasive hostility aimed at people with disabilities
From Donald Trump mocking a reporter with a congenital joint condition to employers tolerating or perpetrating toxic behavior, it appears that many people are still comfortable discriminating against and humiliating folks with disabilities. It happens more than you think.
Kierstyn: “A video showing my lurching gait was mocked, painfully, on social media. It was very unpleasant, and even though that was over 4 years ago, [the video and harassment] sometimes comes up all over again.”
Peter: “I was fired when I had my first bipolar episode after 23 years of employment. I was told it was because I wrote strange emails and didn’t interact well with fellow workers.”
Barry: “My contract [was terminated] due to my asking for captions to be turned on….A copy supervisor made a disparaging remark insinuating I was stupid when I did not grasp what he was saying immediately, saying ‘Duh’…. A manager said to me, ‘Why do we need to put on captions because of your hearing thing?’”
Amy: “I needed to get a doctor’s note filled out with very specific reasons/restrictions for a chair to be able to sit when necessary. We always had chairs until very recently. One day there’s chairs, the next day they were gone…. I walked into work and my co-workers were very upset on my behalf, which made me uncomfortable. There should have been a discussion with me privately prior to this change and adequate accommodations made. Instead, it turned into a huge deal and left me feeling humiliated and less than.
What can we do?
Combatting ableism requires both individual and collective action. It starts with recognizing biases, fostering inclusivity, and becoming an ally to people with disabilities.
- Educate yourself and others: Understanding the diverse experiences of people with disabilities is the first step. There’s plenty of literature and online training designed to help you root out biases you don’t even know you have.
- Listen to people with disabilities If a friend or co-worker confides in you about an issue, listen with empathy. Though you may not fully understand, dismissing someone’s experience is a form of invalidation.
- Challenge ableist language and behavior: Call out ableist language, jokes, or behaviors. Do the hard work of eliminating problematic language from your vocabulary and use inclusive language instead. Inclusive language seeks to avoid the use of certain expressions or words that discount, dismiss, erase, or exclude groups of people. It conveys respect, recognizes diversity, and involves continuous conversation and improvement.
- Promote accessibility and inclusion: Advocate for creating accessible spaces and inclusive environments. This includes supporting policies that improve access to public spaces, technology, education, and employment.
- Remember that ally is a verb: When you witness a microaggression, try to meet it with a microintervention if possible.
By examining our core beliefs, challenging our assumptions, listening to the community, and making changes to our language and behavior, we can help create a culture that respects and humanizes everyone. Each small action gets us a little bit closer to a more inclusive future.
