Ableism

This term refers to a form of discrimination that particularly affects people with disabilities. It originated in the disability rights movement of the 1980s in the United States. It addresses the discrimination faced by people with disabilities that arises when individual abilities—such as walking, seeing, or social interaction—are used as a standard, and people are reduced solely to their limitations. Ableism describes the unequal treatment, the violation of personal boundaries, and the stereotypical assumptions that people with disabilities face. Underlying this is a societal ideal that dictates what is considered “normal” and what levels of performance people are expected to achieve. Anyone who deviates from this norm is classified as disabled and is often devalued.