I want to begin todays post with a short story found on “On Labor” in order to give the audience a reference for imagination.
“Imagine, if you will, a woman in her 30s with a masters degree who works for a healthcare research non-profit. She has Crohn’s disease and fibromyalgia, so the routine activities of a weekday can, at times, be tiring. After showering or getting dressed, for example, she sometimes takes a rest. At the office, she closes her office door a few times a day so that she can close her eyes or do therapeutic exercises. She’s fortunate to have her own office, but isn’t so lucky when it comes to parking. She hasn’t spoken to her manager about getting tags that would permit her to park closer to office entrance and spare her a twice-daily walk up a few slights of steps.” (Levy, et al. 2019)
What is Ableism and the History Behind It?
According to UNC’s North Carolina Law Review, ableism is set of … stereotypes about people with disabilities that acts as a barrier to keep them from achieving their full potential as equal citizens in society,” and as a “system of oppression that favors able-bodiness at any cost.” (Eichhorn 1991) In many cultures around the world, disabilities were and sometimes still are seen as witchcraft or the god’s punishing the parents for their wrong doing. This already gives a negative foundation to what people may think of the disabled. During the 18th century, during the period of enlightenment, the medical model was developed. This model promotes the fact that the disabled are the issue and if they cannot
be fixed to adapt to society then, they must be shunned and sent away. (“Ableism History” 2009) Back then, most decisions were left up to the medical professional; where they lived, what and how much support they receive and in most cases whether disabled people lived or die. Soon the medical model began to infiltrate politics, entertainment, language and even the education system.In todays society, a lot of people have begun to follow the social model. This model is based off of the basic human rights everyone should have and focuses on the value disabled adults and children can bring to a community. This model especially emphasizes the strengths of an impaired person and also makes a clear definition on what the difference is between “impairment” and “disability”. Disabled People’s International, a network of national organizations or assemblies of disabled people, established to promote human rights of disabled people through full participation, equalization of opportunity and development, differentiates between the two like this:
“Impairment is the loss or limitation of physical, mental or sensory function on a long-term or permanent basis.
Disablement is the loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the normal life of the community on an equal level with others due to physical and social barriers.”
How it Affects the Workplace.
Though we may feel aware of ableism, there are many instances especially in the workplace where we sometimes forget and this stereotyping comes into play. In a lot of cases, there are also invisible disabilities such as hearing loss or HIV/AIDs but here are some common instances listed by “The Armstrong Law Firm” include:
- Grabbing someone’s wheelchair without their permission in order to “help” them navigate a difficult turn or movement.
- Having an able-bodied individual invade a disabled individual’s personal space to physically assist them — often touching them — without being solicited or welcomed.
- Making comments that suggest that willpower alone can help someone overcome a disability. For example, suggesting that a co-worker suffering from major depression can “snap out of it” by forcing himself or herself to get out and exercise or telling a co-worker with chronic fatigue syndrome to just “push through it.”
In the U.S alone, there are 56 million people living with disabilities – that’s 20% of the population. And about 38 million of them are working day to day jobs. But according to Elizabeth Maldanado, even working the same full time hours as there peers they are paid on average $1,000 less per month. And this is if they can find a job. Right now, middle aged disabled people are facing a 70% unemployment rate.
What Can We Do
According to Allegis Global Solutions, There are four major things you can do in order to help fight ableism whether you’re at work, school or even at home.
Don’t use ableist language.
- Language is powerful and has the ability to dehumanize anyone, so be cautious of words that may seem derogatory or harmful to people with disabilities in order to create a safe and inclusive space.
Challenge your subconscious biases.
- Be sure to challenge certain stigmas that have ultimately constructed strong beliefs in your life in order to promote growth and learning.
Don’t make assumptions about ability or competence.
- Disability does not mean inability. Making assumptions sometimes pushes patronizing behavior towards others.
Ask for help
- We learn something new every day, so it’s okay to ask questions and admit to mistakes.
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