Ableism is not exclusive to non-disabled individuals, disabled people (including autistic, naturally) can hold internalized ableist views
Various forms of bigotry and systems of oppression are well-known throughout the world and are now infused in our collective consciousness (sexism, racism, homophobia etc.), but ableism as a concept is still relatively unknown to the wider world.
So what exactly is ableism? Simply put, ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the conviction that typical abilities are superior in nature. Ableism can come in a variety of different forms, and more often than not, people are probably not aware of the fact they are engaging in ableist behavior, in part due to the lack of knowledge and awareness surrounding the issues at play. At its heart, ableism relies on the belief that a person with any given disability requires curing or fixing in order to be fully accepted into society.
Ableism is something we have probably all faced – and unfortunately for many, on a regular basis. However, people with different disabilities can experience it in different ways. Aableism towards the autistic community in particular will be different from those experienced with other disabilities (although there will always be crossovers). Our essence is considered undesirable in societies throughout the globe, because our cognitive make-up goes against what the masses expect from us as human beings. Saying someone you don’t know well is ‘weird’ or a ‘retard’ based on your own prejudices is an example of everyday ableism that takes place. Once you start to understand common autistic traits, you will probably realize that many people like to label these as ‘weird’, ‘crazy’, ‘odd’ etc.
In challenging your own misconceptions and those of others who spread ableist rhetoric, you are providing an invaluable service to the disabled community the world over
While ableism can take place on an individual societal level, it can also be on a systematic and institutional level. It’s no coincidence that unemployment rates for autistic people sit at around 80% in most countries. There’s something seriously wrong with the structure of worldwide institutions when you see how there is so much in the way of us achieving success in the world.
This is just a brief introduction, and there is no way I can cover everything I want to within one blog post. So, I do hope to write some new material which covers topics regarding this again soon, but I encourage you all to read more into this (there’s a wealth of great resources online written by members of the neurodiverse and disabled community), and most importantly, be prepared to challenge your own biases. Change starts with education, but it also won’t work unless you are willing to change. Ableism hurts a lot of people, and as with all forms of bigotry, we must take a hard stance against it.
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I am autistic with a ‘level one’ classification and have always struggled with obtaining work. I am employed now but there were times when I’d go for numerous interviews and get sweet FA. I could do a great application but the in-person discussion when my application was selected was a major problem. People like us suffer the ableism of being assumed we don’t need support when we do.
Yes David, current employment systems are not made with autistic people in mind – and not to mention that the interview process is inherently ableist in many ways. I’m happy to be getting the opportunity to talk about this more through my work now. If even I can make a difference to even a handful of employers for more accessible and inclusive practices, then I think that’s better than nobody at all.