Ableism: A Closer Look

A deeper definition of Ableism may include:

1. Discrimination in favor of people without disabilities. 
2. Discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities and people who are thought to have disabilities.

Ableism labels persons who are defined by their disabilities as inferior to a person without disabilities.

Ableism may contribute to inaccessibility to:

• Closed captioning
• Curb cuts (or curb ramps)
• Accessible entrances

Generalizing and stereotyping people with disabilities is incredibly harmful. Often, people with disabilities are viewed as either tragic or inspirational. Examples of this include: 

• Stories of people with disabilities being rewarded for doing things that most people with disabilities cannot do.
• Stories of praise for a person without disabilities helping someone with a disability
• An image of a person with a disability lifting weights with text that reads “What’s your excuse?” or similar text
• The belief that sacrificing the elderly or immunocompromised to COVID-19 is a necessary evil to “return to normal”

Demeaning words and phrases used to describe a person or group of people with disabilities may include:

• Special needs
• Handicapable
• Wheelchair-bound
• Handicapped parking and restrooms
• Functioning labels such as low functioning or high functioning
• Stupid 

Internalized Ableism is:

When people internalize the ideas and prejudices of society that see disability as “other,” undesirable, tragic, something to be shunned if not pitied. They may begin to hate who they are. They may begin to think they are less than human.

Lateral Ableism is:

When a person with a disability is ableist towards another person with a disability.

To know the definition of ableism is not enough. We must become anti-ableist. But how? We need to develop strategies that counter ableism. We need to act. We need to call it out every time we see it. Here are some ways to fight against ableism when you observe it:

• Challenge ableist practices.
• Stop using ableist words and phrases and lead by example. Our words can amplify dignity and respect so we should speak of people with disabilities accordingly, as people worthy of dignity, respect, admiration and love.
• Help others do better when they display ableism.
• We should share our lived experiences. 

When we fight ableism, we create a better, more just world for those living with disabilities. Learn more about legal rights of people with disabilities.