Ableism Part 2: Reducing Ableism

Aug
24
2026
By cxgonzalez
Guide dog leads a blind person through the train compartment

Reducing Ableism

In an earlier blog post, we explored what ableism is, some examples of ableism in day-to-day life, and the harm that ableism can cause. This blog post explores how we can reduce ableism, both in ourselves and in the circles that we find ourselves in.

Start By Believing Ableism Exists

The first step in reducing ableism is to acknowledge it exists. Listen to and believe people with disabilities when they describe experiences of ableism. Too often, people who do not live with a disability comment on the “legitimacy” of an offense, when the focus should be on reducing harm for, and being inclusive of, people who do live with a disability. Acknowledging the offense is an excellent way to show that you are serious in your efforts to reduce/eliminate ableism.

Other ways you can reduce ableism:

  • Educate yourself on specific areas of ableism. If you own or manage a physical space that is available to the general public, ensure that your space is accessible to all members of your target audience. This goes beyond installing a ramp or an elevator—consider visual, hearing, mobility, and intellectual disabilities.
  • Choose accessible spaces for meetings.
  • Work to eliminate ableist terms from your vocabulary.
  • Take equity, diversity, and inclusion training; on PEI, Resource Abilities offers this service.
  • Refer to a person with a disability by their name or other descriptor you would use for a non-disabled person; do not reduce a person to their disability (e.g., “the blind man”).
  • Remember that some disabilities are invisible or episodic. Try not to assume anything about a person’s situation and needs. For example, if you see someone walking after using a wheelchair, that does not mean the person is faking a disability–some people have limited energy and require a wheelchair for specific situations but not 24/7. Similarly, if you see someone park in an accessible spot and they look physically capable of walking, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are scamming the system.
  • Remember, too, that people with disabilities are just like anyone else in that they have personal preferences. Some may identify with a particular word/description, while others may not. For example, some people who live with disabilities prefer person-first language (e.g., a person with autism), and some people with disabilities prefer identity-first language (e.g., an autistic person). It is always the person with the disability’s choice as to how they wish to be referred (if their disability needs to be mentioned; otherwise, their name works well, too!). If someone asks you to stop using a specific word, even if you think it’s an okay word to use, respect their request.
  • If you are in a decision-making role, try to ensure, where possible, that any committees/Board of Directors includes people with lived experience of disability and recognize that no single individual can represent all disability perspectives. It might not be possible to include every type of disability, and, in some cases, it might not be possible to find representation at all—in those cases, try to balance this gap by connecting with a local accessibility resource (on PEI, this could be Resource Abilities) who can offer professional advice.
  • Consider visual impairments/disabilities when developing apps/websites.
  • Include closed captioning for videos.
  • If someone requests an accommodation, do your best to accommodate them, and then learn from the experience so you can offer it in the future.
  • Implement plain language policies for written documents.
  • Include more representation regarding visual material (e.g., pamphlets) or casting or website images; show a variety of people. It’s important here to also include people with disabilities even when you are not writing about disabilities. If you’re a journalist, for example, consider interviewing people with disabilities for stories that are not about disabilities but are about whatever subject the person with a disability is an expert in. People with disabilities are capable members of society and can offer expertise on more than their disability.

Because ableism is so prevalent in our society, it takes work to reduce/eliminate it. Most people have likely said or done something at some point that unintentionally contributed to ableism. As Dr. Dana Dunn wrote in an article for the American Psychological Association, “Ableism is common and, for most of us, unavoidable unless we work to change how we think, feel, and act towards people with disabilities.”

But work through it we must, if we want to strive for more inclusive environments. Just as we want to take measures to reduce racism and sexism in our spaces, ableism deserves our attention, too.

Sources

Health Equity