Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally

by Emily Ladau

“Disability, to me, is a social identity, but it’s also about having functional limitations.”

Relating to the next quote: interesting that these limitations are created by the world

disability more broadly—is an oppression of difference rather than an impairment.”

Identity-first language (IFL) is all about acknowledging disability as part of what makes a person who they are. So when using IFL you might say “disabled person” or “blind person” or “Autistic people.” In this case, disability isn’t just a description or diagnosis; it’s an identity that connects people to a community, a culture, and a history.

‘Low functioning’ is used to deny agency to disabled people who have high support needs,” he states, “while ‘high functioning’ is used to deny resources to people who can mask their disability well. Any person’s support needs can shift from year to year, or even day to day, making ‘functioning’ a flawed concept.”

Some of the most common examples to look out for include crazy, dumb, idiot, imbecile, insane, lame, moron, slow, and stupid. Words such as these were historically used to refer to people with disabilities, often as official diagnoses for people who were housed in institutions.

Disability Justice is a framework that both builds on and diverges from disability rights, centering marginalized disabled people who are so often left behind in broader conversations about disability rights.

Neurotypical people need to recognize that the people leading the movement celebrate their neurodivergence—it’s not something that needs fixing, or a cure, or to be eliminated.

Less than 25 percent of New York City subway stations have elevators. This is systemic ableism because the lack of accessibility limits the freedom of disabled people to get around.

Let’s consider this from a social model perspective. People with disabilities aren’t inherently disadvantaged; rather, we’re put at a disadvantage by practices such as this.

Designating quiet rooms with dim lights for people to decompress from sensory overload at events.

Sending a slide deck in advance of a meeting so people have extra time to process the information.

Accessibility is about making things more equitable so that disabled people have the same opportunities and support to thrive as do nondisabled people. It’s about removing barriers to participation, engagement, and understanding so that all people, regardless of ability, can experience the world around us to the fullest extent possible

I constantly have to remind myself that disabled people aren’t burdens. Rather, the burden is on us to navigate an inaccessible world.

To combat this stigma, the developmental disabilities community embraces a crucial core value: presume competence.

Presuming competence is the idea that, regardless of these things, we are fully human with the same rights as everyone else and, with the right support, we can express ourselves, participate in our communities, and make our own decisions.”

My best advice is to (1) take cues from the person experiencing the ableism, and (2) assess whether you actually have something helpful to contribute.

being an ally

“If you do not belong to a particular marginalized community and you want to help that community, why do you associate the word ‘help’ with that community?” she begins. “That really needs to be unpacked before you approach that community.”

“To be an accomplice, on the other hand, is to work side by side with people who are marginalized, to confront the system and contribute to shifting it accordingly.”

activists—what we all need to understand about passing the mic. “[It] is not a one-time thing,” she said. “It’s a series of choices to build relationships, learn together, disagree without silencing the other. It’s about building up our capacity to honor difference and appreciate the messiness.”