Is DU ableist?

[lightningandsnow]

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ableism :

"Ableism (from able and ism) is a neologism of American coinage, since about 1981. It is used to describe discrimination against people with disabilities in favor of people who are not disabled.

An ableist society is said to be one that treats non-disabled individuals as the standard of ‘normal living’, which results in public and private places and services, education, and social work that are built to serve 'standard' people, thereby inherently excluding those with various disabilities.

The presumption that everyone is non-disabled is said to be effectively discriminatory in itself, creating environments that are inaccessible to disabled people. Advocates of the term argue that ableism is analogous to racism and sexism in that it is a system by which mainstream society denigrates, devalues, and thus oppresses those with disabilities, while privileging those without disabilities.

In extreme cases, morality, worth and intelligence may even be equated to being able-bodied or able-minded, while disability is conflated with immorality, stupidity, and worthlessness, and disabled lives may be devalued to the point that many in the society believe that one is better off dead than living with disability."

I love this place, but I do see a lot of ableism around here. People use terms like "psychological disorder" as perjoratives. People refer to autistic folks as sick or damaged. Assuming nobody with a disability posts on DU is ableist as well. Some people are very good about disabilities around here, but I do see a lot of ableism and I think it needs to stop.

This thread is not meant to call anybody out. I think that by recognizing our prejudices, we can work to eliminate, or at least greatly reduce them.

[annabanana]

1. Where is the braille DU, damn it. . . . n/t

[lightningandsnow]

2. Hmm....I wonder if this site is compatible with braille readers.

Do any blind/visually impaired DUers know this?

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. I'd guess it's not too bad

It doesn't rely on Flash (a real problem for blind people, I'm told), and it seems most of the icons have alternative text (with the Firefox browser, you get eg "Greatest Threads" as hover text if you position your mouse over the icon).

The 'tree' diagram in a thread might not be easy to follow (that's one area in which the very old-fashioned looking Free Republic may actually score well - on that, to find all the replies to a post, there's a link to follow, rather than a visual diagram).

[madokie]

3. I see it as some are here to advance that kind of feelings only

some here are not our friends is what we must always remember. imo

[canetoad]

4. I know what you mean

but I think it is mainly for the sake of fluidity of discourse. As happens everywhere, to establish any kind of societal order, you need to define what is 'outside' it then consider what is contained within the parameters the basis for your society.

A lot of people here describe it as 'broad-brushing, and I am against unfair generalizations, but sometimes you need to admit that a statement such as 'Americans eat more fast food than Somalis' is probably quite correct. The discussion would die if everyone used totally non-loaded, politically correct language and backed up everything they say by dozens of links to reliable statistics.

[leftstreet]

5. I don't see people on DU 'denigrating, devaluing, oppressing' disabled

People with disabilities have been invisible for a long time. Disability exposure movements have made people more aware that their words can be insensitive, but by and large no one wants to deliberately insult a disabled person.

[lightningandsnow]

8. Any form of oppression or discrimination is not only the obvious.

It's not just about yelling slurs or beating people up - it's about societal attitudes that people with disabilities are inherently inferior.

We are progressing, though, which is good.

[Chulanowa]

6. Ableism, or unfortunate reality?

Someone suffering Parkinson's disease should not be a heart surgeon. It's not because they are "worth less" or because we're against them. It's because that's delicate, life-endangering work, and that doesn't go well with that condition for obvious reasons.

In a similar vein, should a sociopath, or a manic-depressive, or a person suffering any other psychological condition be put in charge of running a portion of the government?

In order to determine discrimination, intent must be examined. The guy with Parkinson's disease isn't barred from the job because he's a lesser person, or because people think he's strange, but because his condition interferes with that job.

[lightningandsnow]

7. Uh...I have an anxiety disorder and might get into politics.

A personality disorder is one thing, but I'm sure a lot of people with mood disorders have been, and will continue to be, in government.

I do kind of get your point, though. But that's not what this thread is about.

[B o d i]

9. Illiterates are disproportionately represented here on DU? Who'da thunk it?

[Chulanowa]

11. Well, eitehr it was I work constructively with what was given...

Or howl with derisive laughter at yet another concern troll trying to find something to be offended about.

I chose the constructive route.

[cali]

12. um, there are undoubtedly people with psychiatric disabilities

in gov't and every other field you can think of. And why shouldn't they be? Bi-polar disorder, for instance, is highly treatable. So are many forms of depression and other psychiatric disorders.

[Iggo]

10. No.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

13. No.

And you obviously are seeing what you want to see. This is one of the warmest sites towards people with disabilities I've ever seen.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

16. only if obnoxiousness is considered a disability. nt

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

18. No.

This is one of the warmest sites towards people with disabilities WITHOUT any of your ill intended caveats. No caveats are necessary.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

19. yes, per your standards. nt

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

20. No. By Simple Facts Of Reality.

DU is one of the warmest sites towards people with disabilities. That does no change because of your irrational zealotry, misinterpretations, and negative cherry picking.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. sure. nt

[Smith_3]

14. DU is a black lesbian single-mother who is in the military and was raped there.

;)

[La Lioness Priyanka]

17. people on du suffer from most of the bigotries of the general population

however they/we feel that since their/our label is "liberal" or a "democrat" or "progressive" even politely bringing up the fact that we should review our bigotries and check in our privilege, is beyond the scope of most of their/our consideration.

[Bunny]

22. I really don't think that DU as a whole is ableist. I do think there is a lack of understanding

about certain mental illnesses, though. When Andrea Yates drowned her children, there were quite a few folks here who refused to even consider that postpartum psychosis exists and may have played a role in that tragedy. They believed that she was a monster who should be killed and would not consider any other possible explanation.

There may be a lot of careless use of language here, most irritating to me is using the word "retard", but I don't think that this place hates people with disabilities. I have seen naked hatred of women, glbt's and other minorities here, OTOH.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. yes, there is no hatred toward those w. disabilities just a lot of non-understanding

esp toward those with psychological disabilities.