Combating ableism

(1) Ableism is a term used to describe discrimination against people with disabilities in favor of people who are able-bodied.

(2) Advocates of the term argue that ableism is, like racism, and sexism, a reaction of main-stream society on the derogatory унизительные physical or intellectual capacities in combination with behaviour of the disabled person. An ableist society treats able-bodied people as the standard of ‘normal living’. This results in public and private places and services, education and social work that are built to serve 'standard' people, without too much disability. In an inclusive society общество без дискриминации, on the other hand, all products and services are fully accessible доступный and usable for as many people as possible. An ableist society tends to isolation, where an inclusive society tends to integration or inclusion.

(3) Many books on disability and disability rights point out that the disabled community is one of very few groups of people that one does not have to be born into общества в которых такие люди необязательно рождаются с недугамии, as disability can develop later in life as well. Some disability rights activists use an acronym, TAB, humorously to point this out: TAB stands for " temporarily able-bodied" as a reminder that many become disabled as they join the ranks of the elderly.

(4) Historically, disabilities недееспособность have often been cast in a negative light. An individual thus affected was seen as being a “patient” subject either to cure or to ongoing medical care. His condition is seen as disabling; the social reactions to it are justified обоснована, and the barriers unavoidable.

(5) Over the past 20 years a competing view has come to the fore такая точка зрения превалирует: disability is seen more as a social construction than a medical reality. Disabled activists argue that although their impairments may cause them pain or discomfort, what really dis -ables people as members of society is a socio-cultural system which does not recognise their right to genuine equality. Подлинное равноправие

(6) Various countries have legislation requiring physical accessibility. In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has numerous provisions for accessibility. In the US, under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, new public and private business construction generally must be accessible. Existing private businesses are required to increase the accessibility of their facilities when making any other renovations in proportion to the cost of the other renovations.

(7) Access доступ to public areas such as city streets and public buildings and restrooms are some of the more visible changes brought about in recent decades. These include the installation of elevators, transit lifts, wheelchair ramps and curb cuts, Пандусы для инвалидных колясок и съезды с тротуаров allowing people in wheelchairs and with other mobility impairments нарушения to use public sidewalks and public transit more easily and more safely. These improvements have also been appreciated by parents pushing strollers коляски or trolleys, bicycle users, and travelers with rolling luggage, not to mention skateboarders and inline skaters роликовые коньки.

(8) Adaptive technologies, enabling people to work jobs they could not have previously, help create access to jobs and economic independence. Access in the classroom has helped improve education opportunities and independence for people with disabilities.

(9) Many people do not know what to say or how to act when they meet someone with a disability. Treat someone with a disability as you would like to be treated and you can't go wrong. People with disabilities are not conditions or diseases. First and foremost they are individual human beings. Only secondarily do they have one or more disabling conditions.

(10) Many people with disabilities are professionals and have college degrees. Many famous, creative and inspirational persons have lived with one or more disabilities while accomplishing remarkable things, including American president Franklin Roosevelt (impaired movement as the result of polio), classical composer Beethoven (deaf in later years) and many others.

(11) Combating ableism begins with creating awareness осведомленность. The best way to accomplish this task is through education. Teaching about diversity различиях and every person's uniqueness can begin to counteract the cultural myths about people with disabilities. Inclusion of people with disabilities into classrooms offers the next best way to beat ableistic thinking — friendship. Direct interaction with someone with a disability can break down the fear and ignorance felt by some.