Ableism

Ableism is a term used to describe discrimination against people with disabilities in favour of people who are not disabled.

Advocates of the term argue that ableism is, like racism, and sexism, a system by which main-stream society denigrates and devalues those with disabilities, while privileging those without disabilities. Morality, worth and intelligence are equated to being ablebodied or ableminded, while disability is conflated with immorality, stupidity, and worthlessness.

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

The mere presumption that everyone is non-disabled is effectively discriminatory in itself, creating environments which are hostile to the disabled. Inclusion means that all products, services, and societal opportunities and resources are fully accessible, welcoming, functional and usable for as many different types of abilities as possible. An ableist society tends to isolation, where an inclusive society tends toward sociability and interdependency.

In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act enacted into law civil penalties for failing to make a public place accessible to individuals with certain impaired abilities and/or using standard assistive technologies. In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005 attempts the same. There are also disability rights activists attempting Inclusion movements in various countries.