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Emily Ladau (whose definition is quoted here) is a disabled author and activist. If you are ready to take a deeper dive into understanding disability, her book, “Demystifying Disability” is a great place to start!
Attitudes, actions, and circumstances that devalue people because they are disabled or perceived as having a disability.
Emily Ladau
“Attitudes, actions, and circumstances…”
Attitudes, actions, and circumstances describe:
- The things we believe (see core beliefs)
- The things we do or say
- The way our environment (including people and places) impacts us
“… that devalue people…”
There are different ways that people are devalued. Some common examples are:
- Calling someone a rude name, like the “R-word” (intentional ableism)
- Making fun of someone because of their disability (intentional ableism)
- Ignoring a disabled person’s language preferences (intentional ableism)
- Inviting someone to a restaurant without checking to see if it is accessible or has accommodations (unintentional ableism)
- Assuming a disabled person needs help without asking them (unintentional ableism)
“… because they are disabled or perceived as having a disability.”
This part of the definition comes from the federal definition of disability used by the United States government (see disability).
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Overthrowing Ableism 