Disability is a strength
This is a little different from my typical blog posts, but I feel it is just as important to the overall picture of development. The truth is, we all have differences in the way we develop! Your baby may roll by 6 months, or not until closer to 9. Your baby may be born with Down syndrome, or have asymmetries because of torticollis. Your child may have decreased hand-eye coordination, or develop tight hamstrings because they have cerebral palsy. My point is, we ALL show differences in development, whether we identify as having a disability or not!
Did you know that 1 in 5 people identify as having a disability? That means over 1 billion of us are living with different abilities! It is crucial, then for us to consider accessibility and inclusion. This is not a niche topic affecting a small number of people. Rather, accessibility needs to be a staple of design in our society. Inclusion should shape the way we think about the journey of life.
This week I was excited to participate in Microsoft’s Ability Summit, full of experts, conversations, lectures, and collaboration about viewing disability as a strength, rethinking design to be inclusive, and working together to Imagine, Build, Include and Empower. I wanted to share some nuggets I learned, as well as some of my own thoughts and experiences as a person with a disability myself!
Disability confident
Historically, healthcare has used a medical model to view disability. This means disability is often pathologized and viewed as a problem that needs to be fixed. Recently disability advocates have pushed for viewing disability using a social model, which looks at disability as a unique part of who an individual is, and seeks to empower the person. It recognizes that disability is a difference, just like gender, race, age, or hair color, and society should work to include this person just as they are. A theme throughout the Microsoft Ability Summit that I gravitated towards was empowering us to be disability confident, and to embrace the unique strengths that disability offers.
If you don’t know me, I will share that I was born with moderate-severe hearing loss and I rely on hearing aids, reading lips, and closed captioning to optimize understanding. For most of my life, I have viewed my hearing loss as a disadvantage. A flaw. A weakness of mine that I tried hard to cover up. It is only over the past several years that I have been challenged to view my disability through a different lens. Sure, my hearing loss comes with some challenges, that is no question. But you know what? It also gives me many of my personal strengths!
Disability confident—my hearing aids are beautiful!
For example, because listening is a challenge for me, I give my full to attention to anyone I am talking with. I have to look at you to read your lips, tune into your body language to pick up on things I didn’t hear, and I am not able to multitask so you get my full, undivided attention! I believe this makes me a better listener, a more engaging conversationalist, and helps me really be present in my social interactions. I believe it is a crucial part of why I became a neonatal physical therapist and inspires me to be an activist to create a community where all babies, children, and families feel supported to live their fullest life as their most authentic self!
See? STRENGTH!
Inclusion is a responsibility, not an afterthought
As we move through our second year in the midst of a global pandemic which has turned our lives upside down, we as a human species have been forced to rethink how we live in almost every way. Work from home set ups, Zoom meetings, telehealth services, and increased online shopping are just a few of the many ways we have been forced to adapt and innovate during the COVID era.
Guess what? People with disabilities have to adapt to a world not designed for them all the time. Inclusion and accessibility has long been an afterthought for society, but is at the forefront of every person with a disability’s life. Instead of society working to build with inclusion in mind, people with disabilities are expected to adapt, innovate, or not participate. This cannot fly.
We as people are too dynamic, too creative, and too capable to allow this to continue! We have proven that we can break down barriers when push comes to shove, so let’s do this all the time! Instead of figuring out how we can squeeze more people (and different people) into the proverbial room, let’s tear down the walls and rebuild an inclusive space for all!
Nothing about us, without us
I love this mantra about inclusion so much. It applies to so many arenas, and states that no policy or changes should be made without the full and direct participation of the groups who will be affected by said policy or change. Consult and co-create with the marginalized group that is affected to achieve true liberation and change!
In the case of disability inclusion, this might look like: hiring people with disabilities to provide a diverse range of experiences and insights at your organization; consult with the affected groups directly to find out what the best solution to a problem would be; learn from the experiences and needs of those around you to figure out how you can make your sphere more accessible. These are just a few ways we can all work together to make our spaces more accessible and inclusive!
Inclusive design benefits us all…
Have you heard of the Curb Cut effect? Curb cuts (dips in the sidewalk to allow a smooth transition from sidewalk to street) were originally designed for people with disabilities. They were implemented to allow people with wheelchairs to navigate the community.
But think about it, have you ever used a curb cut to smoothly push your baby’s stroller across the street? Have you been on a walk with your grandma who uses a walker and relies on curb cuts for safety? Have you been grateful for the gradual slope when helping your child learn to ride a bike? The point is, though originally designed to accommodate for people with a disability, inclusive design often has wide-reaching benefits that positively impact all of us—whether we realize it or not!
Be kind, be open, be inclusive
I could talk on and on about ways to be inclusive and the importance of accessibility to empower all of us and improve our society. But to sum it up, remember these things: be kind (always, to everyone), be open (to other’s perspectives, needs, and lived experiences), be inclusive (look at your circle of influence and ask yourself who is welcome there—and then expand!).
To end this important segment I’ll leave you with this thought (author unknown, but it is thought to have origins in African proverbs): “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go FAR, go TOGETHER.”
Let’s go far, together!
Spelling out “Be Kind” in ASL, as shown on my shirt
TL;DR
We all have differences in development, ability, and personality. 1 in 5 people identify as having a disability, so we can no longer think of disability as an afterthought, but it needs to be at the forefront!
Let’s look at disability through a social model, empowering people with disabilities and encouraging us to be disability confident, rather than a medical model, which pathologizes disability and sees the person as a problem that needs to be fixed.
Nothing about us, without us: include people with disabilities in all conversations about policy or changes that will impact them. Hire people with disability, listen to their input and feedback, and co-create with them to optimize inclusion!
Curb cut effect: design with disability in mind often has wide-reaching positive benefits for all of us!
Be kind, be open, be inclusive! Let’s go far, together!