Ableism is a view or attitude that treats people without disabilities as “normal” and those with disabilities as “abnormal,” “inferior,” or “other.” Ableism can be both intentional and unintentional.

Intentional ableism might involve things like:

• bullying and ridicule (such as the use of slurs or insults)
• using a person’s disability to take advantage or cause harm (such as by putting items in inaccessible places)
• treating a person with a disability as if they are incapable or unintelligent

Unintentional ableism can be just as harmful. It might involve things like:

• creating documents or other materials that look nice but are inaccessible to persons with seeing disabilities
• planning events where some persons with disabilities cannot participate comfortably or safely
• using words or phrases without thinking about how they can affect persons with disabilities

When you consult persons with disabilities, consider how both intentional and unintentional ableism may be involved in your ideas, plans, and actions. Keep this in mind throughout all of your efforts to identify, remove, and prevent barriers.

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