Every year, December 3rd marks the UN International Day for Persons with Disabilities – a day meant to celebrate the efforts that promote inclusion and full societal integration for those of all abilities into all aspects of society. Reflecting back, we have made some important strides that work for inclusion: including the elimination of institutionalizing those with disabilities, the passage of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act, a local transit system – which after 20 years – is now nearly 100% accessible, and many more victories. However, as we celebrate these accomplishments, we must not forget that we still have a long ways to go.
Ignorantly, most people think of inclusion as physical infrastructure, such as elevators and ramps. Given that this level of accessibility has received a lot of attention, it's far too often where I hear sentiments of that I should be happy that we’re more inclusive. However, discrimination based on ability is still prevalent in our society. While political movement’s priorities are relevant to those who experience ableism, their work usually fails to address the experience of those with disabilities – which often leads to further skewed statistics when the experience of disability is relevant. If it isn’t the neglect of the issues, it then becomes the accusation of distraction, where those with disabilities are accused of reframing the issue. In an example, an article I read on “The Daily Beast” shared the story of Stephanie Woodward, who faced hostility when she brought up her experiences of violence (you can read that article here).
So I must ask, where are we now? We currently live in a society where those who face barriers to their full inclusion are treated as objects of inspiration, where often we are objectified as being heroic for performing the daily tasks of life. We live in a society where 1 in 3 able-bodied women are likely to be victims of sexual assault. While that is unacceptable, it is even more unacceptable that 4 out of 5 women with disabilities are likely to be similar victims. We live in a society where a disabled man faces a similar average wage gap to that of an able-bodied woman when compared to an able-bodied man (79.6% vs. 76.6 of the wage of an able-bodied man), but the average wage gap between an able-bodied man to a disabled woman is often ignored (59% of the wage of an able-bodied man). We live in a society where systems that are designed as a means of last resort are often the rights of passage into adult hood. We live in a society where poverty is an acceptable reality for those with disabilities. We live in a society where until 2013, a person with a disability could legally be paid below minimum wage. We live in a society where able-bodied individuals often dictate numerous aspects of our daily lives. We live in a society where my failed movember attempt gains more traction on social media than an article discussing feminism and the exclusion of the disability experience.
So while today is a day to celebrate, it serves as a grim reminder that we still have a long way to go. Today, I challenge all marginalized movements to review their messaging to be inclusive to those who experience ableism. Just because they identify with a disability does not mean that they detract from your movements. A woman with a disability still identifies with issues of gender inequality. A racialized person with a disability still identifies with systemic racism in our communities. And a person with a disability who is LGBT* still identifies with the stigmas that society perpetrates. However, it is important to understand that disability often further compounds these stigmas.
While I inherit a lot of privilege as being a white male, it is important to note that it doesn’t take away the experiences I have as a disabled individual. I challenge those out there who are involved in these valuable campaigns that challenge the societal norm to be inclusive of the disability experience. After all, we do not need to create a further divide when we are fighting for the same cause.
Ignorantly, most people think of inclusion as physical infrastructure, such as elevators and ramps. Given that this level of accessibility has received a lot of attention, it's far too often where I hear sentiments of that I should be happy that we’re more inclusive. However, discrimination based on ability is still prevalent in our society. While political movement’s priorities are relevant to those who experience ableism, their work usually fails to address the experience of those with disabilities – which often leads to further skewed statistics when the experience of disability is relevant. If it isn’t the neglect of the issues, it then becomes the accusation of distraction, where those with disabilities are accused of reframing the issue. In an example, an article I read on “The Daily Beast” shared the story of Stephanie Woodward, who faced hostility when she brought up her experiences of violence (you can read that article here).
So I must ask, where are we now? We currently live in a society where those who face barriers to their full inclusion are treated as objects of inspiration, where often we are objectified as being heroic for performing the daily tasks of life. We live in a society where 1 in 3 able-bodied women are likely to be victims of sexual assault. While that is unacceptable, it is even more unacceptable that 4 out of 5 women with disabilities are likely to be similar victims. We live in a society where a disabled man faces a similar average wage gap to that of an able-bodied woman when compared to an able-bodied man (79.6% vs. 76.6 of the wage of an able-bodied man), but the average wage gap between an able-bodied man to a disabled woman is often ignored (59% of the wage of an able-bodied man). We live in a society where systems that are designed as a means of last resort are often the rights of passage into adult hood. We live in a society where poverty is an acceptable reality for those with disabilities. We live in a society where until 2013, a person with a disability could legally be paid below minimum wage. We live in a society where able-bodied individuals often dictate numerous aspects of our daily lives. We live in a society where my failed movember attempt gains more traction on social media than an article discussing feminism and the exclusion of the disability experience.
So while today is a day to celebrate, it serves as a grim reminder that we still have a long way to go. Today, I challenge all marginalized movements to review their messaging to be inclusive to those who experience ableism. Just because they identify with a disability does not mean that they detract from your movements. A woman with a disability still identifies with issues of gender inequality. A racialized person with a disability still identifies with systemic racism in our communities. And a person with a disability who is LGBT* still identifies with the stigmas that society perpetrates. However, it is important to understand that disability often further compounds these stigmas.
While I inherit a lot of privilege as being a white male, it is important to note that it doesn’t take away the experiences I have as a disabled individual. I challenge those out there who are involved in these valuable campaigns that challenge the societal norm to be inclusive of the disability experience. After all, we do not need to create a further divide when we are fighting for the same cause.