Sharing what we know to help build the model for a more inclusive future—onstage and off.
Access is a Journey, Not a Destination
There’s no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” approach to accessibility. Because disability can take so many different forms, true access requires ongoing conversation, flexibility, creativity, and an understanding that you’ll never get it “perfect.”
We are constantly learning from and with our community, and have compiled this page to share some of our favorite resources and tips, and celebrate the individuals and organizations who have helped us in our journey as disability advocates.
Disability Advocacy FAQs
What is Ableism?
Ableism describes individual, cultural, societal, and institutional beliefs and practices that discriminate against or prejudice against individuals with disabilities. It also intersects with other -isms such as racism, ageism, and sexism.
We like Talila A. Lewis’s definition: ableism is “a system of assigning value to people’s bodies and minds based on societally constructed ideas of normalcy, productivity, desirability, intelligence, excellence, and fitness.”
Ableism may be intentional or unintentional, but it results in the oppression of individuals with disabilities.
Isn’t it rude to say people have a “disability”? Why don’t you say “special needs”?
Disability is not a dirty word—it’s a natural fact of human diversity. 1 in 4 adults has a disability. Using euphemisms makes it seem like disability is something to be ashamed of or something we should hide. Being too afraid to talk about it can also prevent people from getting the support and accommodations they really need.
There are many different types of disabilities—some of them are visible and some are invisible. At A.B.L.E., we center individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. These are lifelong disabilities, or disabilities that present before the age of 18. We don’t talk about our community with words like:
- “Special Needs” – all human beings have needs- why are some needs more “special” than others?
- “Differently abled” – we all have different abilities. This implies that there is a “normal” set of abilities and a “different” set.
- “Low functioning” or “High functioning” – people’s needs and abilities don’t exist on a linear spectrum. Just because someone needs accommodations for one thing, it doesn’t mean they need help with everything. And if someone has lower support needs, that doesn’t mean they don’t need any help at all. The Art of Autism: Understanding the Spectrum by Rebecca Burgess does a great job of illustrating this.
But of course, someone with a disability can identify however they want!
Why does A.B.L.E. use Person First Language and Identity First Language? What should I use?
The disability community is big, and not everyone wants the same thing.
Some disability advocates feel that disability is just one part of who they are. They are people first, and their disability comes second (or 3rd, 4th, or 10th) on the list of things about them. They advocate for person-first language (e.g., “a girl with Down syndrome” rather than “a Down syndrome girl”).
However, many disabled people feel that their disability is an integral part of their identity and shapes their experience of the world, like gender expression, race, or sexual orientation. They ask us to use identity-first language (e.g., “an autistic person” rather than “a person with autism”).
A.B.L.E. uses both person-first and identity-first language because members of our community use both. When in doubt, ask someone their preference!
Why does A.B.L.E. make such a big deal about language?
How we speak about ourselves and others matters.
Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and their loved ones may have fought against discriminatory, stigmatizing, and hurtful language for many years. We want to be respectful in our language and our actions.
That said, we know preferred terms vary geographically and change frequently within communities, or from person to person.
How can I tell if something is “good” disability representation?
We’re starting to see more disabled characters and stories in the mainstream, but not all representation is created equally. Here are some questions to ask yourself about the media you’re consuming:
- Does the disabled character have agency? Disabled people should be able to make choices. They might need help or support to do this, but they still should be given those opportunities. Are they treated respectfully in the story, or are they treated as pitiable and in need of charity, or as burdens on a nondisabled character?
- Does the disabled character have their own story? We want to see three-dimensional people with their own hopes, ideas, and dreams, not just characters who are there for the nondisabled character’s benefit. Bonus points if they get to talk about something other than being disabled.
- Is there more than one disabled character? We know 1 in 4 adults in the US has a disability – that diversity should be reflected back in the stories we consume.
- Were people with disabilities part of the creative process? To get a more accurate, meaningful, and well-rounded representation, disabled people should be involved at every level of production, not just the finished product onstage or onscreen.
- What’s the message? What values and beliefs are being promoted? How might different people understand this message differently? Is this story inspiration porn or just inspirational (if this person wasn’t disabled, would this be a story at all?)
How can I make my event more accessible?
At A.B.L.E., we believe accessibility works best when it is baked into your process from the beginning, not tacked on at the end. We encourage you to think about access across all of your work – from emails to meetings to marketing materials – rather than part of just one event or one moment. This means you need to budget for it, design for it, be in conversation with your community, and be ready to make adjustments along the way. We are happy to work with you to build a culture of accessibility and inclusion at your organization through our access training and public masterclasses.
The Cultural Access Collaborative also offers training, accessible equipment loans, and an access events calendar.
The Culture Croydon Access Manifesto Tiers has a great breakdown of guidelines for projects of different scopes and budget sizes.
If you’re looking for an access coordinator in Chicago, reach out to A.B.L.E.’s Founder, Katie Yohe.
How can I advocate for people with disabilities in my community?
As the saying goes, “If you’ve met one person with a disability, you’ve met one person with a disability!” Just because two people have the same or similar disabilities doesn’t mean they will want or need the same kind of support. Get to know people as individuals and don’t make assumptions.
As a good ally, be open to learning, asking questions, and speaking out against misconceptions, hurtful language, and misinformation. You can share resources (like this page) and point people to disabled scholars and self-advocates for further information.
FOR ORGANIZATIONS
Bring A.B.L.E. to You
We believe accessibility is a right, and through A.B.L.E. consulting, we are building the model for a more inclusive future onstage and beyond.
If your organization is ready to commit to access and equity, explore our customized training options.
FOR INDIVIDUALS
Public Masterclasses
Every year, we rotate through a range of virtual and in-person masterclasses to help you explore your relationship to disability and accessibility.
All of our public masterclasses are pay-what-you-can, highly subsidized by our fundraising efforts. If you have the capacity to register at a higher tier, you directly help subsidize rates for independent and disabled artists.
Additional Accessibility Resources
Here are some favorite resources from our staff to help you on your disability inclusion journey.
Style Guides
Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism
One Idea Per Line: A Guide to Making Easy Read Documents, Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Videos
“I’m not your inspiration, thank you very much”, Stella Young for Ted Talk
“Not special needs just human needs”, CoorDown for World Down Syndrome Day
“Is it okay to say Disabled? Featuring Keah Brown”, Get Smarter with Blair Imani
“LISTEN: a short film made by and with non-speaking autistic people”, Communication First
Books
Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
Disability Visibility by Alice Wong
The National Disability Theatre Handbook by Talleri A McRae
Articles
How to Talk About Disability Sensitively and Avoid Ableist Tropes, Shruti Rajkumar for NPR (2022)
The Disability Scorecard: Are You Doing a Panel, or Actually Doing Something?, Ryan J Haddad for American Theatre Magazine
