Disablism

Disablism refers to the specific discriminatory, derogatory or disadvantageous behaviours that stem from ableism. Ableism refers primarily to society’s system of norms and values and encompasses the assumption that certain abilities (e.g. hearing, seeing, walking, speaking) are more essential than others and that the absence of these abilities leads to a diminished quality of life. In contrast, disablism manifests itself in discriminatory practices and describes the direct or indirect disadvantage faced by people with disabilities, which stems from ableist norms.

Furthermore, disablism manifests itself

• structurally (lack of accessibility, restricted access to the labour market or the education system),
• socially/culturally (prejudice, ignorance, pity, ‘inspiration porn’),
• linguistically (the word ‘disability’ having negative connotations, ableist insults)
• politically/legally (failure to implement, or inadequate implementation of, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities).