Fighting My Internalized Ableism
My internalized ableism & I are doing battle, and I’m going to win because I’m stubborn AF.
“Internalized oppression is not the cause of our mistreatment; it is the result of our mistreatment. It would not exist without the real external oppression that forms the social climate in which we exist. Once oppression has been internalized, little force is needed to keep us submissive. We harbour inside ourselves the pain and the memories, the fears and the confusions, the negative self-images and the low expectations, turning them into weapons with which to re-injure ourselves, every day of our lives.” — (Marks, 1999, p. 25)
Social Stigma
Social stigma is defined as the disapproval of, or discrimination against, an individual or group based on perceivable social characteristics that serve to distinguish them from other members of a society.
Ableism
Bogart & Dunn defined ableism as “stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and social oppression toward people with disabilities”.
Ableism is the discrimination against, and oppression of, disabled people based on a societal belief that being abled is “normal” and is preferred. In the neurodiverse community, this would be the assumption that being neurotypical is inherently better than being neurodivergent.
It’s not.
Internalizing this faulty belief happens because we are taught, and socialized with, this ideology for so long that we start to believe it ourselves. I’ve come to realize that internalized ableism is keeping me from being my authentic self.
I don’t mean that in the buzzword of the week, “living my truth” toxic positivity sense. I mean I am still hiding parts of myself, masking what I think needs to be hidden so that I will be accepted and taken seriously as an intellectual, as a professional, and as a person.
Well, fuck that, and fuck ableism.
I’ve never been one to back down from a fight, so bring it on, ableism: come test. I’m ready now.
Note to Self: I can be neurodivergent and still be an intelligent, successful professional.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Neurodiversity MB to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.