Supporting disability rights and inclusion means more than donating money to a cause you care about. It means more than participating in a charitable 5k. It means more than liking a post on Facebook.
After all, the fight for disability rights and inclusion begins at the legislative level. It means passing state and federal laws that support programs and services that aid the disability community. To do that, we need elected officials that share a fundamental goal: improving the lives and maximizing the independence of every disabled American.
Now, this isn’t as easy as it seems. Many political candidates say they support inclusion and independence, but when it comes down to it, many of these same people aren’t that motivated to do anything about it. There are lots of reasons for this. Many of these reasons are rooted in ableism— impacted by the subconscious notion that disabled lives simply aren’t valued as much as able-bodied ones. This leads to the societal view that programs and services that assist the disabled are inherently “too expensive” and must be economized as much as possible— even if it means restricting access. As a result, many disabled children and adults fall through the cracks (especially disabled people of color). This leaves countless disabled people at the mercy of families and local communities to give them the care and support they need. (Sadly, this doesn’t always happen.)
And that is the root of ableism’s impact on the fight for disability rights: disabled people are not seen as full members of society. Thus, society, as-a-whole, doesn’t think it has a responsibility to ensure that they thrive. So, it is very easy for disability-centric legislation to languish without ever becoming law.
Much scholarship has been devoted to examining how ableism impacts the support and attention these social programs and services receive. It’s an issue that cannot be easily tackled, or remedied.
But this doesn’t mean that nothing can be done. After all, there is another reason for lawmakers’ lack of interest in these issues that is very easy to understand. The disability community simply doesn’t have a lot of lobbying power to put pressure on elected officials to prioritize disability rights and inclusion. And without pressure, there’s no incentive for politicians to act.
That’s where you come in.
When it comes to casting your vote, you do have power. You have the power to elect folks that share an interest in disability rights. Candidates that do promote inclusion and do want to expand access to services. Ask yourself these questions when filing out your ballot:
— Does this candidate have a written plan that includes a section addressing disability issues?
— Does this candidate support Medicare and Medicaid (Medi-Cal)?
— Does this candidate understand the vital importance of HCBS (home and community-based services)? Will this candidate support increased funding and resources for HCBS? (Or will this candidate attempt to cut funding??)
— Will this candidate fight all attempts to erode the protections of the ADA? The IDEA? The Lanterman Act? The Olmstead v. L.C. decision?
— Does this candidate have any people with disabilities working for their campaign?
— Will this candidate protect the funding that allows programs, like Anthesis, to do their vital work?
— Lastly, if the candidate is an incumbent, have they written, or sponsored, any disability-centric laws or policies?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, it might be time to examine whether your candidate/elected official is truly motivated to be an ally to the disability community.
Politicians respond to pressure from their constituents. So, don’t be afraid to contact your local, state and federal elected officials. Not sure who they are? Here’s a way to find out:
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
Don’t forget: your advocacy and support can really make a difference in highlighting disability issues. The more these crucial topics enter the public narrative, the easier it is for the movement towards independence, inclusion and equity to gain traction.
Want to learn more about organizations fighting for the disability community? Check out these links!