Ableism Special Issue Introduction

Twenty-eight currently or recently employed adults with concealable impairments from a community in the United States completed semi-structured interviews to capture workers' perceptions of their internal and social experiences that contribute to their identity management decisions. Disability identity management strategies included effortful behaviors, such as avoiding relevant situations and using specific language to describe impairments. Participants suggested intraindividual factors (disability salience, disability strain) and environmental factors (disability stigma, ineffective social support) as primary reasons for their identity management decisions. The findings align with existing research on stigmatized identity management and consequences for well-being, together informing a proposed theoretical model. Conclusions invite policy change at national and organizational levels to account for intraindividual and environmental factors that may introduce barriers to disability disclosure and effective accommodation practices.

Section: Disability Identity Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity Management Strategies for Workers with Concealable Disabilities: Antecedents and Consequences

Santuzzi

Keating

Martínez

et al. 2019

“…Due to the variety of ways in which ableism can manifest, we adhere to the broad definition: “Ableism is stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and social oppression toward people with disabilities” (Bogart & Dunn, ). Our study also employed a more specific definitional prompt which read: “Disability prejudice can be defined as the disrespectful treatment of disabled people simply based on their disability status.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hostile, Benevolent, and Ambivalent Ableism: Contemporary Manifestations

Nario‐Redmond

Kemerling

Silverman

2019

Disabled people experience ableism in many forms from the seemingly benevolent to the blatantly hostile, and more ambivalent or mixed forms (e.g., paternalistic/condescending and jealous/envy). Rooted in historic and contemporary frameworks, this study explores the experiences of an international sample of disabled people (N = 185) using six open-ended questions to assess some of the manifestations of ableism documented in the literature. We found that experiences with paternalistic forms of ableism were among the most pervasive followed by inspirational, hostile, envious, and dehumanizing forms while fears of becoming disabled or "catching" disability were less commonly reported. Furthermore, some forms of ableism (e.g., infantilization, unwanted help, and invasions of privacy) were more common among those with visible impairments whereas invalidation and accusations of fraud were more common among those with less apparent conditions. Implications for policies related to hate crimes, health care, and media representations are discussed along with directions for future research.If I tell someone I don't like their pitying behavior or point out that their kind intent had a harmful impact, they become hostile, usually accusing me of being ungrateful or disabled people like me as "too sensitive" (Person with multiple disabilities, 2015). People go from pity party, you're so inspirational to you're an ungrateful bitch really fast when I turn down help. (Person with multiple disabilities, 2015).In many ways, the manifestations of ableism are comparable to other minority group prejudices expressed as fear, denigration, and dehumanizing actions on the

“…When situational factors are overlooked, presumed dispositional factors serve as causes of behavior and as psychological triggers for ableism. Abelism involves prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behaviors directed at disabled persons by nondisabled individuals (for greater detail on ableism and defining people with disabilities, including those with apparent or concealed disabilities, see Bogart & Dunn, ). Many ableist acts are unintentional and the people who commit them are usually unaware of the problematic content and impact of their words and deeds.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Outsider Privileges Can Lead to Insider Disadvantages: Some Psychosocial Aspects of Ableism

Dunn

2019

Self Cite

People with disabilities are sometimes described as an invisible minority group, one that frequently encounters ableism in the course of daily life. Ableism entails biased ideas and assumptions, as well as prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory acts, aimed at people with disabilities. This article examines how and why ableism poses distinct social and psychological privileges for outsiders (the nondisabled) and resulting disadvantages for insiders (people with disabilities). Four theories accounting for outsiders' ableism directed at insiders are presented: just world theory, mourning, suffering and meaning, and the fundamental negative bias. The consequences of ableism for people with disabilities are then discussed, including internalized ableism, deindividuation, stigmatization and stereotyping, and the problems posed by benign ableism. I argue that sometimes ableism represents a form of outsider privilege, one allowing nondisabled people to feel, think, and act in ways that often unknowingly promote their social and psychological interests over people with disabilities. I then conclude the article by calling for efforts to better educate nondisabled people regarding guidelines for constructively engaging people with disabilities as a matter of social policy.