Ableism: Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability. Like racism and sexism, ableism classifies entire groups of people as ‘less than,’ and includes harmful stereotypes, misconceptions, and generalizations of people with disabilities. (Source: Ableism 101, by Access Living)
In becoming the beloved community, how do we embrace and welcome people with disabilities? How do we talk about people with disabilities? What are we teaching our children about people with disabilities, either actively or by default? Here are a few ways to quickly educate yourself:
- Ableism 101 – a short article about what it is, what it looks like, and what we can do to fix it.
- 6 Tips to Talk to Your Kids About Disabilities – (short article)
- Things People With Disabilities Wish You Knew – (short video)
- Don’t be scared to talk about disabilities – here’s what to know and say. (NPR story – audio or article)