Do You Notice Ableism Around You?

Often when we talk about ableism we talk about it being systemic, integrated within the systems we work in on micro, meso and macro levels. It important to understand this and see the bigger picture, and how important it is that we act acs anti-ableist allies. Yet, sometimes looking at this bigger picture can be overwhelming and this is for multiple reasons.

The first reason why some people refuse to look at the bigger picture is because they refuse to acknowledge that occupational therapy is an ableist profession. Yet “I’m not ableist, I’m an occupational therapist” doesn’t cut it anymore, yeah, it’s not nice to think that a profession that prides itself on person-centred practice is ableist and not as person-centred as we think. But, we can’t hide behind this anymore, we need to address our flaws and along with people with lived experience themselves we need to make it right.

Then some acknowledge ableism but refuse to look at the bigger picture because they don’t know where to start and I know, it’s baffling and minefield but we can’t just do nothing about it. Knowing where to start is hard, I don’t know myself and I may get it wrong, yet, we still have to try because doing something is better than nothing.

Therefore, before, we look at the bigger picture we need to break it down and look at how to address everyday ableism. Do you notice ableism around you and within you? Maybe you can and don’t know how to address it or maybe you can’t, let’s break it down:

Language:

Language and terminology always pops up but it is one of the easiest changes to make, I know, I know it can be hard to change old habits and rewire our thinking but it is one of the simplest things we can do as a collective. There are no ifs and buts about it, we need to make this change! For example, using phrases like ‘wheelchair user’ rather than ‘wheelchair bound’ I’m not bound by my wheelchair. My wheelchair provides me with much more independence without being in pain or feeling fatigued and it impacts the rest of my occupations that day and even week. Another example is using phrases such as ‘that’s mental’ or ‘I’m so OCD’ I mean surely I shouldn’t have to explain why this is ableist, especially to those working in mental health. We must reflect on this, we’ve all made mistakes but we need to acknowledge them and make it right.

Attitudes:

Attitudes, what are your attitudes towards disability? What has driven you to be an occupational therapist or work in any profession with disabled people for that matter? Is it because you feel like disabled people need to be ‘cured’ and ‘fixed’ or is it because you want to help them navigate ableist structures because these are two very different views? Disabled people don’t need to be ‘fixed’ we need support to navigate the complexities of our disability. Okay, some people who become disabled later on in life might have this view and need support with this but we must understand their perspective first and use our therapeutic use of self to work in collaboration. This leads me to our next point…

Not sticking to our own agenda:

As occupational therapists I like to think that we are person-centred and at times we are but if you’re an occupational therapist or any professional that has worked in the same area of practice for a long time it is easy to fall into the habits of thinking you know what best for an individual. Sometimes, you may know what individuals ‘need’ and of course, practitioners who have worked in a certain area for a while have a wealth of knowledge but you will never truly know what’s best as they’re an expert in their own needs. This is when you need to go back and use your basic human skills that are fundamental to any relationship and not just unique to occupational therapy, empathy and willingness to learn about your client’s experiences that are very different to yours can go a long way. We don’t have all the answers and it is fine to say that I know I’d respect someone more for going away and doing more research rather than sticking to their own agenda because ‘that’s what they always do’.

I hope this blog has been useful to start you on some reflections. Ableism is ingrained in everything we do and is hard to address but we have to start somewhere. Breaking this down is helpful, as this enabled us to see how we can move forward. 

Are there any other examples that you can think of and how can we address this?

Thank you for reading,

Georgia x