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Mental Illness, Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Eating Disorder, Mood Disorder, PTSD

Intellectual & Developmental, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Down Syndrome

Physical Disabilities, Arthritis, Facial Difference, Limb Difference, Multiple Sclerosis

Sensory Disabilities, Blind or Low Vision, Color Blind, d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Non-Apparent, Invisible & Undiagnosed Disabilities, Chronic Pain, Diabetes, Epilepsy

Note: Some disabilities overlap categories, and some Disabled people do not identify with these categories

(e.g. Depression is a Mental Illness and Non-Apparent)

BROAD CATEGORIES OF DISABILITY

EXAMPLES

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

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THE STATS

At least 25% of adults in the U.S. have a condition considered a disability (2)

This impacts someone in 1 in 3 households (3)
This increases with age, as 40%+ of people 65+ are disabled (2)
70% of disabilities are non-apparent/invisible (4)�

Only a small portion of Disabled people identify as such

Identity is stigmatized
Caused by false hierarchy (5)

e.g. someone with chronic pain may not consider themselves disabled to not diminish�the legitimacy of an impairment that is perceived as more severe

Disability intersects with every other dimension: race, orientation, etc.

THE LARGEST MINORITY

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

Sources: (2) The CDC, (3) Cornell University, (4) Invisible Disabilities Association, (5) Psychology Today

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LOOK AHEAD

INDEX

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

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ABLEIST

LANGUAGE

WORDS MATTER

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Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities. �It’s rooted in the belief there’s a correct way for bodies and minds to function. It reinforces the false idea that anyone who deviates from that is inferior. Ableism perpetuates that people with disabilities are imperfect and need to be fixed.

�It shows up in a variety of ways, personal or institutional, intentional or unintentional. (6)

WHAT IS ABLEISM?

Source: (6) Very Well Mind

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Use neutral language and visuals
Never assume a negative relationship between a person & their disability
Ask people how they prefer to identify

Don’t make assumptions
Allow disabled people to tell their own stories
A Disability is someone’s personal medical history, always follow their lead/respect their boundaries
In many cases, use Person Centric Language e.g. “Adult living with mental illness” not “Mentally ill adult”

Terms to use

HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT DISABILITY

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

LANGUAGE

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WORDS

PHRASES

crazy

c-word

deformed

dumb

freak

handicapped

insane

losing their mind

maniac

moron

nuts

lame

r-word

slow

blind to/blind eye

confined to a wheelchair

wheelchair-bound

differently-abled

falling on deaf ears

hearing-impaired

high/low-functioning

suffers from…

tone deaf

victim of …

MISUSE OF MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS

AS ADJECTIVE

bipolar

narcissist(ic)

psycho(tic)

schizo(phrenic)

senile

sociopath(ic)

HYPERBOLE

Challenging: I have PTSD from...

Missed Something: I’m deaf/I’m blind

Particular: I’m so ADD*/ADHD/OCD…

Stressed: Having a panic attack

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

LANGUAGE

*Note: ADD is an outdated medical term

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Disabled

Handicapped, Differently-Abled,�Special-Needs

Normal, Regular

DID

YOU

MEAN

Suffers From, Victim of

Non-Disabled

Lives with

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

LANGUAGE

Source: (8) Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

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Language frames how we think/act, and ableism has long permeated our language�to make certain populations seem disposable�
Though ableism is bigger than language, ableist terms are used to dehumanize or marginalize those with disabilities, infiltrating everyday language�
Ableist language shows up in different ways: as metaphors, jokes, or euphemisms�
Harm caused (13)

Perpetuates unconscious bias
Internalizes and normalizes harmful biases about disability
Stigmatizes already marginalized people
Portrays disability as something negative

WHY LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

LANGUAGE

Source: (7) Harvard Business Review

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DISABILITY

IN MEDIA

REPRESENTATION MATTERS

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REPRESENTATION MATTERS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Only 3.5% of characters in TV series are disabled (9)
95% of disabled characters are portrayed by actors without disability (10)
Disabled portrayals often

Rely on harmful tropes
Disproportionately show disabled characters as violent & villains
Have a direct impact on how those with disabilities are perceived, �and how they internalize themselves

Sources: (9) Respectability, (10) Ruderman White Paper

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HARMFUL TROPES

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Someone with a Disability is not inherently a victim

Tiny Tim, Wait Until Dark

Relationships do not heal

mental illness

Garden State, Silver Linings Playbook

Untreated disability is not

a super-power or skill

Monk, House

Disabled people are more their condition

Legion

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INSPIRATION PORN

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Content that objectifies Disabled people as solely inspirational or heroic, making it seem brave to live their daily lives
Creates sentimentality and pity for non-Disabled viewers
Disabled people are anonymously objectified, even when they are named�Forrest Gump, I Am Sam, Music (2021)

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DISABLED VILLAINS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Disability does not cause

evilness & violence

Antman & the Wasp, Unbreakable/Glass/Split series, Detective Pikachu, Scandal

Mental Illness does not

evilness & violence

Daredevil, Fight Club, The Joker, Fatal Attraction, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Justified, Psycho, Pretty Little Liars, Split

Physical differences do not make someone scary

Darth Vader, James Bond Series, The Lion King, The Witches

Evil characters do not deserve their disability

Captain Hook, The Green Goblin, Mission Impossible

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Marvel Villain Ghost 1987 -

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, 2021

Unbreakable Series, 2000-2019

The Witches, 2020

Voldemort, 2001-’11

Malificent, 1959 -

The Lion King, 1994

Captain Hook, 1953 - 2018

Detective Pikachu, 2019

The Land Before Time, 1988

Nightmare on Elm Street Series, 1984 -

Scream Queens, 2015-‘16

Fight Club, 1999

Blofeld in Bond Series, 1961-

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974 -

Darth Vader in Star Wars, 1977-‘83

Austin Powers Series, 1997-2002

Joker in Batman, 1940 -

Harvey Dent/Two-Face, in Batman 1942 -

Pretty Little Liars 2010-‘17

Green Goblin in Spiderman, 1964 -

Penguin in Batman, 1941 -

Shrek, 2001-‘11

Rylo Ken in Star Wars, 2015 -

Avatar, 2009

American Psycho 2000

The Hills Have Eyes 2006

Jason in Friday the 13th Series, 1980 - 2009

Dexter, 2006 -

Dr. Poison in

Wonder Woman, 1942 -

Zoom inThe Flash, 2001 -

Snow in Hunger Games, 2012 - 2015

HORROR

COMEDY

SCI-FI/

FANTASY

CHILDREN’S

DRAMA/�ACTION

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Marvel Villain Ghost 1987 -

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, 2021

Unbreakable Series, 2000-2019

The Witches, 2020

Voldemort, 2001-’11

Malificent, 1959 -

The Lion King, 1994

Captain Hook, 1953 - 2018

Detective Pikachu, 2019

The Land Before Time, 1988

Nightmare on Elm Street Series, 1984 -

Scream Queens, 2015-‘16

Fight Club, 1999

Blofeld in Bond Series, 1961-

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974 -

Darth Vader in Star Wars, 1977-‘83

Austin Powers Series, 1997-2002

Joker in Batman, 1940 -

Harvey Dent/Two-Face, in Batman 1942 -

Pretty Little Liars 2010-‘17

Green Goblin in Spiderman, 1964 -

Penguin in Batman, 1941 -

Shrek, 2001-‘11

Rylo Ken in Star Wars, 2015 -

Avatar, 2009

American Psycho 2000

The Hills Have Eyes 2006

Jason in Friday the 13th Series, 1980 - 2009

Dexter, 2006 -

Dr. Poison in

Wonder Woman, 1942 -

Zoom inThe Flash, 2001 -

Snow in Hunger Games, 2012 - 2015

FACIAL DIFFERENCE

PHYSICAL DISABILITY

NON-APPARENT

MENTAL ILLNESS

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Marvel Villain Ghost 1987 -

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, 2021

Unbreakable Series, 2000-2019

The Witches, 2020

Voldemort, 2001-’11

Malificent, 1959 -

The Lion King, 1994

Captain Hook, 1953 - 2018

Detective Pikachu, 2019

The Land Before Time, 1988

Nightmare on Elm Street Series, 1984 -

Scream Queens, 2015-‘16

Fight Club, 1999

Blofeld in Bond Series, 1961-

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974 -

Darth Vader in Star Wars, 1977-‘83

Austin Powers Series, 1997-2002

Joker in Batman, 1940 -

Harvey Dent/Two-Face, in Batman 1942 -

Pretty Little Liars 2010-‘17

Green Goblin in Spiderman, 1964 -

Penguin in Batman, 1941 -

Shrek, 2001-‘11

Rylo Ken in Star Wars, 2015 -

Avatar, 2009

American Psycho 2000

The Hills Have Eyes 2006

Jason in Friday the 13th Series, 1980 - 2009

60+

200

Dexter, 2006 -

135+

16+

12+

1,028

18+

21+

30+

235

Dr. Poison in

Wonder Woman, 1942 -

Zoom inThe Flash, 2001 -

Attem-pted

87+

7 Million

40+

Snow in Hunger Games, 2012 - 2015

Note: 2 heroes’ disabilities removed in film adaptation, but villain’s kept

KILL COUNT

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“Hi, so these are my hands. It’s a condition called ectrodactyly, I’m missing my middle fingers. This comment made me genuinely disheartened and I think it just goes to show how society and entertainment has made people like me out to be something scary. And we’re not and it’s just so, it’s just so sad. I want to claim ignorance on this person but I don’t think that’s fair because I can’t control what you’re scared of [crying]. But it just sucks that you’re scared of someting thatI can’t control. Because I didn’t ask to be born like this, I just was. And [Crying] I promise I’m not a scary person.

[Sniffle] It just sucks that people are scared of it, when they shouldn’t be. I just would tell you to get yourself educated, and just out there. Because we’re out there and we can’t change.” Alyssa Cleland, 24

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INACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF MENTAL ILLNESS

Mental illness does not constitute a moral deficiency or cause excessive violence

People living with a mental illness receiving effective treatment are �statistically no more violent than anyone else in the community (11)

In Reality, those living with Mental Illness are 2.5x more likely to be �victims of abuse (12)
Nearly 1 in 3 characters living with Schizophrenia were portrayed as �homicidal, with 1 in 4 attempting to end their own lives (13)
Inaccurate generalities, e.g. everyone with depression experiences s**cidal �ideation, or everyone with schizophrenia experiences auditory hallucinations

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Sources: (11) Victoria State Government, (12) Elon University, (13) Canadian Mental Health Association

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DISABILITY & ABLEISM

STATS

U.S. Population

living with mental illness

Out of 4,598 Film Characters

portrayed living with mental illness

Out of 1,220 Series Characters

portrayed living with mental illness

UNDER-REPRESENTED

From a 2019 study of nearly 6,000 filmes and series, Source: (14) USC Annenberg

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MENTAL ILLNESS SHOWN IN CONTEXT WITH

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

STATS

FILM

SERIES

DISPARAGEMENT

HUMOR

CONCEALMENT

Source: (14) USC Annenberg

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DISABILITY & ABLEISM

STATS

Film characters living with mental illness shown as perpetrators of violence

Source: (14) USC Annenberg

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IMPACT

60% thought schizophrenia �would lead to violence (15)

30% of people thought depression �would lead to violence (15)

3-5% of all violence is attributed �to mental illness (16)

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

STATS

Source: (15) American Journal of Psychology, (16) National Library of Medicine

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STIGMA IN CASTING

Many actors & media professionals feel pressured to hide their disability, especially if they develop it later in their careers, with fear it will prevent them from being hired
Review Experiences —

Watch Introducing, Selma Blair on her experience living with MS
Read about Chadwick Bosman’s Death and Ableism
Read about Christina Applegate Sharing her MS Diagnosis
Read about Selma Blair Sharing her MS Diagnosis
Read about Shannon Doherty on Working with Stage 4 Cancer

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

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STIGMA BEHIND THE SCENES

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Source: (17) Inevitable Foundation

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DISABILITY BEHIND THE SCENES

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Representation

Only 1% Disabled talent working behind the scenes in film and television

43% of those Faced identity-based discrimination

Only 2.6% of writers’ rooms have upper-level Disabled writers, showrunners,or producers

Accommodations

Only 58% of Disabled workers requested accommodations they needed

Several respondents say they decline to ask for accommodations in order to hold onto work, while others say that self-advocacy takes away from the work itself.

70% of requested accommodations were filled
30% of BTS talent paid out-of-pocket for their accommodations

Cost

.43% increase in budget for accommodations in Writer’s Room
.033% increase in budget for accommodation on-set
$500 Average cost for accommodation

Source: (17) Inevitable Foundation, (18) Job Accommodation Network

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“ACCLAIM”

Non-disabled actors playing characters with Disabilities are often rewarded for their portrayal

Being nominated for playing a Disabled character increases your likelihood of winning an Oscar to 50%

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Source: (19) IndieWire

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OSCAR WINNERS: “DISABLED” PORTRAYAL

Tom Hanks, 1994

Philidelphia

Living HIV+

Colin Firth, 2011

The King’s Speech Speech Disability

Julianne Moore, 2015

Still Alice

Living with Alzheimer's

Jared Leto, 2014

Dallas Buyers Club

Living HIV+

Matthew McConaughey

Dallas Buyers Club

Living HIV+

Sean Penn, 2002

I Am Sam

Intellectual Disability

Jack Nicholson, 1998

As Good As It Gets

Living w/ OCD

Edward Norton, 1997

Primal Fear

Living with DID

Angelina Jolie, 2000

Girl Interrupted

Living w/ Mental Illness

Geoffrey Rush, 1997

Shine

Living w/ Schizophrenia

Jessica Lange, 1995

Blue Sky

Living w/ Mental Illness

Nicole Kidman, 2003

The Hours

Living w/ Mental Illness

Eddie Redmayne, 2015

The Theory of Everything

Living w/ ALS

Anthony Hopkins, 2021

The Father�Living w/ Dementia

Joaquin Phoenix, 2020

The Joker

Living w/ Mental Illness

Renée Zellweger, 2020

Judy

Living w/ Mental Illness

Rami Malek, 2019

Bohemian Rhapsody

Living HIV+

Brie Larson, 2016

Room�Living w/ Mental Illness

Al Pacino, 1993

Scent of a Woman

Blind

Jamie Foxx, 2005

Ray

Blind

Holly Hunter, 1994

The Piano

Speech Disability

Daniel Day Lewis, 1990

My Left Foot

Living with CP

Hillary Swank, 2005

Million Dollar Baby

Mobility Disability

Anthony Hopkins, 1990

Silence of the Lambs

Living w/ Mental Illness

Tom Hanks 1995

Forest Gump

Intellectual Disability

*SINCE 1990

Cate Blanchett, 2014

Blue Jasmine

Living w/ Mental Illness

Christopher Plummer, 2014

Beginners

Living w/ Invisible Illness

Note: Hopkins is first winner w/ public Autism diagnosis

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

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OSCAR WINNERS: DISABLED ACTORS

Marlee Matlin, 1988

Children of a Lesser God

There are Best Actor winners who have lived with addiction and won portraying characters living with addiction. They do not publicly identify as Disabled so have not been included.

NOTE:

Harold Russell, 1946

The Best Years of Our Lives

*ALL TIME

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Troy Kotsur, 2022

CODA

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PROPER PORTRAYAL OF DISABILITY

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Is Disability used

as a plot device?

Is Disability used for sympathy

or humor?

Is Disability portrayed as something solely inspirational?

Portrayal may enable Ableism

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PROPER PORTRAYAL OF DISABILITY

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

Are the creators and storytellers Disabled?

Are Disabled actors portraying the characters?

Are the Disabeld characters whole people?�With love lives, sex lives, responsibilities, senses of humor…

Portrayal likely supports

accurate Disability representation

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PROPER PORTRAYAL OF DISABILITY

Inclusive Disability Portrayal

Allow people with disabilities to tell their own stories
Allow people with disabilities to portray themselves
Feature Intersectional representation

Consider hiring talent from groups like

Ruderman Family Foundation - Film & TV Production, including on-screen talent
RespectAbility - Entertainment Consultation Services
Kaleide Creative - Creative directors, Motion GFX, Video Editors

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

MEDIA

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INCLUSIVE�DESIGN

ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS

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Accessibility in design is important for allowing all people to consume your content

Equitable - Content reflects diversity of your audience
Effective - The intended message is communicated to a broad range of people
Efficient - Copes with the limitations of assistive technologies�

Accessibility in design also benefits nearly all consumers

Closed Captions were created for d/Deaf/HoH consumers, but often used in other instances like loud situations or by non-native English speakers learning to read
One-handed device use was created for those with use of one arm, but beneficial for temporary disability such as broken arm, or situational like someone holding with two arms holding a baby

INCLUSIVE DESIGN

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

DESIGN

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Accessible Post Captions: Don’t overuse CAPS/special characters which screen readers can misread
Optimize Hashtags: Camel-case multi-word hashtags to increase legibility and prevent screenreader misreads. Instead of #accessibilitymatters, use #AccessibilityMatters
Reconsider Emoji: Emoji and emoticons are read aloud by assistive tech. 💩 is read aloud as “pile of poo” and 🏚️ is read as “Derelict House.” Look up how emoji are read at Emojipedia
Legible Text on Images: Use adequately sized font especially on images where it is not modifiable
Use inclusive language: avoid ableist language and provide content warnings where possible

USE OF TEXT

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

DESIGN

Source: (20) HootSuite

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EXAMPLE COLOR COMBINATIONS (23)

300 Million people worldwide live with colorblindness, 8% of men (21)
Legible Color Contrast: Ideal contrast between a text color and its background should be at least 4.5 to 1. The ratio decreases for large text but increases for small (22)
Ensure link visibility: Add an underline or hover animation to convey a link is clickable; Nielsen Norman Guideline for Visualizing Links
Data Visualization: Consider using patterns, symbols, or data labels to differentiate data as an alternate to color (20)

COLOR

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

DESIGN

Source: (21) Colour Blind Awareness, (22) Worldwide Web Consortium, (20) HootSuite, (23) Martin Krzywinski

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Use Image Alt Text Image Descriptions & include context in social/digital post captions

Basic Rules of using Alt Text on Websites & Social Media
Note, to normalize this accessibility necessity, start including alt text in your own social media posts

GIFs currently do not have accessibility support on most social media platforms (24)

Never rely on conveying meaning through GIFs & always write an image description. When using animated GIFs, confirm that the post can be understood through its text content alone

Videos Should Include

IMAGES & VIDEO

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

DESIGN

Source: (24) UX Collective

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DISABILITY &�THE WORKPLACE

EQUITY MATTERS

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30%

of College-Educated, Full-Time employees who work �in an office live with a Disability

62% of those live with non-apparent/invisible disabilities

DISABILITY & THE WORKPLACE

Source: (25) Center for Talent Innovation

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DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

Managers

It’s your responsibility (regardless if you have a direct report with a disclosed disability) to:

Learn & understand the basics of the ADA, your company’s DEI, EAP, and LTD/STD programs
Understand that 20% or more of your team may live with a disability
Foster an environment where disabled employees feel safe

Contractors

Contract & Freelance employees are legally not protected by the ADA; protections vary by state

Many temp employees don’t disclose their disability due to fear of bias or retaliation
Context: it was legal to fire a temp worker because of their disability in NYC until 2020

Contractors often have a lesser or non-existent health plan. Compensate your contracted workers to account for this difference. It can be incredibly expensive to be disabled.

Hiring

If you want a diverse and inclusive candidate pool consider programs like Autism at Work, Chronically Ca pable, Inclusively
Understand your employee is not required to disclose a disability when they are hired, and they may notify you later into their employment

MANAGING EMPLOYEES

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ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act (26)

Requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees who disclose their disability

A “reasonable accommodation” is a change that accommodates employees with disabilities so they can do the job without causing the employer “undue hardship” (too much difficulty or expense)

DEI - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Most mid to large size companies offer Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs or clubs for diverse employees
DEIs traditionally can be lacking in disability representation, conversation, and inclusion

EAP - Employee Assistance Program (27)

Work-based program that offers confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services.
Address issues affecting mental and emotional well-being, such as alcohol and other substance abuse, stress, grief, family challenges, and mental illness

STD/LTD - Short & Long Term Disability (28)

An insurance program offered by many companies to partially or fully cover salary for disabled employees to need to take time off
Note, you may need to opt into STD/LTD plans when you are hired or when you update your annual insurance plans
Short-Term disability is typically under 6 months of time off

WORKPLACE RESOURCES

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

Source: (26) ADA National Network, (27) U.S. Office of Personnel Management , (28) Guardian Life

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Types of Accommodations

No-Tech Costs little to no money, e.g. additional prep time for an employee
Low-Tech Technologically simple & readily available, e.g. replacing a doorknob with a door-handle
High-Tech Uses sophisticated devices, e.g. a screen reading software with synthesized speech

Job Restructuring

Reallocating or redistributing the marginal functions of a job
This includes re-assigning work among co-workers, eliminating non-essential tasks, reassign visits�to accessible sites, and allowing work to happen outside of the traditional office setting

Modified Work Schedule & Flexible Leave

Adjusting schedules may include flexibility in work hours, the work week, or part-time work
This includes medical appointments, rest periods, and maintaining sleep/eating schedules

ADA: REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

Source: (29) Office of Disability Rights

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Modification or purchase of accessible equipment or devices

e.g. special software or large print books

Training materials in accessible forms

e.g. providing employee manual as audio or in Braille

Modification of company policies

e.g. allowing service animals into the office

Modification of physical site

e.g. providing cups to use at an inaccessibly tall water fountain

Provision of readers, communication access providers

e.g. interpreter for a d/Deaf candidate’s interview

Reassignment

e.g. if the disability is developed after the person is hired, moving them to a vacant role

Other examples

Providing instructions to an employee via email instead of verbal
Allowing someone to work from home
Job coaching services

ADA: REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

Source: (29) Office of Disability Rights

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Non-Apparent or Invisible Disabilities

Any physical, mental, or emotional disability that goes largely unnoticed.
70% of disabilities are Invisible (26)
Can include: cognitive impairment and brain injury, the autism spectrum, chronic illness, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, d/Deaf and/or hard of hearing, mental illness (27)
Understanding Invisible Disabilities at Work

Masking (25)

People with neurological disabilities (e.g. autism or severe anxiety) may camouflage or compensate social behavior to blend-in due to societal biases or pressures
People with chronic physical conditions can “mask” their challenges or pain, to minimize their disability symptoms to those around them
Masking can lead to a lack of support or even medical misdiagnoses

NON-APPARENT/INVISIBLE DISABILITIES & MASKING

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

Source: (26) Accessibility.com, (27) Invisible Disabilities Org, (25) New York Times

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Kassandra in Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum

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DISCLOSING A DISABILITY

Why: to ask for accommodations, to share cause for circumstances when honesty provides you more relief than stress, because you want to
When: Anytime! When you are applying, after receiving the offer, anytime during employment
How: Contact HR or your manager to discuss
When & How to Disclose a Disability at work

GOING ON DISABILITY LEAVE

Contact HR, your Disability Insurance Partner, or your manager for details on how to apply for disability leave
Learn about Disability Leave Law
Returning to Work after Disability Leave

BUILDING COMMUNITY

Disability can cause isolation, especially in the workplace where there aren’t safe spaces to share
See if your company has a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion group; these groups have historically focused more on race, sexuality, and gender-identity, but also support disability. Join your group and ask them about how they are supporting disabled employees or engage in discussions around disability
Some companies have employee disability groups, if yours doesn’t, ask HR or your DEI lead about starting your own! You’ll be surprised how many people come forward whose lives have been impacted, and the camaraderie it creates

RESOURCES FOR DISABLED WORKERS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

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1. Document

Put any discrimination in writing whether or not you plan to come forward. Take screenshots of messages, texts, and forward emails to your personal account. Note: Check state laws on video/audio recording someone without their consent.
If you don’t have physical proof, write down your experience. Try to separate generalizations or personal interpretations from the event occurrences. Ask a trusted friend or mentor (outside of your workplace) to read your account to help reduce bias
Include all witnesses (e.g who was there, on email, on call), dates, times, meeting names as accurately as possible
Save the documentation to your PERSONAL computer/cloud/email
If you are dealing with a single person, ask a third party to join your calls or ask if you can record your calls

2. Disclose & Discuss

You need to disclose your disability to HR for a disability discrimination claim. You can disclose after the discrimination has taken place & be protected
Contact your HR representative. It is the company’s legal responsibility to protect you from discrimination as well as any retaliation for disclosing or reporting the issue

3. Defend

You can contact a Disability attorney to help you navigate a challenging situation or to file an EEOC (equal employment opportunity complaint). Most disability attorneys do not require payment upfront for case support

4. Distress-Management

Reach out to friends, mentors, people in the disability community for emotional support. These situations can be very stressful and lead to overwhelming emotions. If you need additional emotional support, contact a licensed professional

DEALING WITH DISCRIMINATION

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

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Managers Training

Disabled Employees

Peatworks.org
US Department of Labor ODEP (Office of Disability Employment Policy)
Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint
Job Accommodation Network

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

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COMPANY DEI, EAP, STD, & LTD PROGRAMS

Add your company’s details here

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

WORKPLACE

Disability at Work

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RESOURCES

ALLYSHIP MATTERS

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BECOME A DISABILITY ALLY

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

Learn Disability Etiquette

Expose yourself to Disability History & Culture

Consult the paid expertise of Disabled people

Allyship

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LEARN DISABILITY HISTORY

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

WATCH

READ

Sundance Audience Award Winner and Academy Award Best Doc Nominee, shows a ‘70s Disabled teen summer camp, and its campers who became activists that shaped Disability Justice

One of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her personal story of fighting for the right to receive an education, have a job, and just be human.

NYT article on the Historic 504 Sit-In, a 26 day protest access the country that lead to the Rehabilitation Act �of 1973

Read about the Captiol Crawl, an accessibility protest which lead to the historic 1990 ADA, American’s with Disabilities Act

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LEARN DISABILITY ETIQUETTE

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

LISTEN TO

READ

Two Disabled friends discuss light & heavy everyday disability topics

Episode 87 - Disability Etiquette

An approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to Disabled people, with steps for how to speak and act, and how you can help make the world a more inclusive place.

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SERIES TO WATCH

SPECIAL

EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE OKAY

SPECIAL

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

Resources

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FILMS TO WATCH

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

Resources

INTRODUCING SELMA BLAIR

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BOOKS TO READ

Disability Visibility

Alice Wong

Care Work: �Dreaming Disability Justice

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent--but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by Disabled people.

This collection of essays explores the politics and realities of disability justice, centering around sick and disabled queer, trans, Black, and brown people, with knowledge for all, showing that mapping access is radical love.

A11Y - LITERATURE RECOMMENDATIONS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conqured Harvard Law

Haben Girma

Haben defines disability as an opportunity for innovation. She pioneered her way through obstacles, graduated from Harvard Law, and now uses her talents to advocate for people with disabilities.

What Can a Body Do? How We Meet the Built World

Sara Hendren

What might assistance based on the body's stunning capacity for adaptation--rather than a rigid insistence on "normalcy"--look like? Imagine a future that will better meet the extraordinary range of our collective needs and desires.

Mismatch : How Inclusion Shapes Design

Kat Holmes

Holmes shows how inclusion can be a source of innovation and growth, especially for digital technologies. Each time we remedy a mismatched interaction, we create an opportunity for more people to contribute to society in meaningful ways.

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TO FOLLOW - ARTISTS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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TO FOLLOW - ARTISTS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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TO FOLLOW - EDUCATION & CULTURE

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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TO FOLLOW - LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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Resource Links

Videos

Inclusive the Film by Microsoft, A view into how we design for human motivations and needs, expanding interactions to become more inclusive and seeing diversity differently: as a dynamic inspiration for creatives.
I’m Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much, Ted Talk with Stella Young�

Additional Research

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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Accessibility Courses, List of courses, webinars, meet-ups and certifications by A11y
Accessibility and Social Media, 1 hr, making social media accessible to all
Designing for Online Accessibility, 55 min, broaden your accessibility understanding
How to Create an Accessible Presentation, 46 min
The Marketer’s Tool for Digital Accessibility, 57 min

ACCESSIBLE DESIGN RESOURCES: COURSES

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RECOURCES

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Accessibility Guidelines Checklist for designers, project managers, and editorial
Color Oracle, A free color blindness simulator for Windows, Mac and Linux
Contrast Checker
Design Compliance Checker
Google Chrome Accessibility Extensions, Adapt Chrome to your needs
Microsoft’s Inclusive Design 101 Guide****, Microsoft is a leader in accessibility
UseContrast, A macOS app for quick access to WCAG color contrast ratios
WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool, Test web content accessibility

ACCESSIBLE DESIGN RESOURCES: TOOLS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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An Intro to Exclusive Design, 3 min from Microsoft
A11y Monthly Talks, a community-driven effort to make digital accessibility easier
Design Empathy, 2 min from Microsoft
Diversity, Inclusion and Universal Design, 19 min Ted Talk with Teddi Doupe
Inclusive Design: A Multi-Sensory Approach, 13 min Ted Talk with Chandni Rajendran
When We Design for Disability, We All Benefit, 13 min Ted Talk with Elise Roy
Why Design Should Include Everyone, 10 min Ted Talk with Sinéad Burke

ACCESSIBLE DESIGN RESOURCES: VIDEOS

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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Accessibility Courses, List of courses, webinars, meet-ups and certifications by A11y
6 Principles for Inclusive Design, UX Planet
7 Things Designers Need to Know About Accessibility, Medium
Black Deaf & Exclusively Online, NYT Artcile on Black ASL on TikTok
Inclusive Components, A blog about designing inclusive web interfaces
Inclusive Design Wall Posters
Reddit: Color Blind
Social Media Dos & Don’ts from The University of Minnesota

ACCESSIBLE DESIGN RESOURCES: READING

DISABILITY & ABLEISM

RESOURCES

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THANK YOU

DISABILITY MATTERS

For any usage questions or presentation inquiries, please contact JenelleBringer@Gmail.com

Created & Written by Jenelle Bringer

Written by Lori Samuels

Additional Inclusive Design Research by “E.N.”

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DISABILITY & ABLEISM

SOURCES CITED

INTRO

“Disability Pride Flag.” Flags For Good, https://flagsforgood.com/products/disability-pride-flag.
“CDC: 1 in 4 US Adults Live with a Disability.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019, www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0816-disability.html. ‌
“Disability Statistics.” www.disabilitystatistics.org. ‌
Invisible Disabilities Association. “How Do You Define Invisible Disability? | Invisible Disability Definition.” Invisible Disabilities® Association, 2010, invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability/. ‌
“Disability Pride Month: Disability Is Broader than You Think | Psychology Today.” Www.psychologytoday.com, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/disability-is-diversity/202107/disability-pride-month-disability-is-broader-you-think. Accessed 16 July 2022. ‌
“What Is Ableism?” Verywell Mind, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-ableism-5200530. ‌

LANGUAGE

“Why You Need to Stop Using These Words and Phrases.” Harvard Business Review, 15 Dec. 2020, hbr.org/2020/12/why-you-need-to-stop-using-these-words-and-phrases. ‌
“How to Avoid Using Ableist Language.“ Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital., http://deareverybody.hollandbloorview.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DearEverybodyTipsonAbleistLanguage2018-19.pdf.

MEDIA

Appelbaum, Lauren. “Percentage of Characters with Disabilities on TV Reaches 11-Year Record High.” Respect Ability, 14 Jan. 2021, www.respectability.org/2021/01/glaad-report-2020/. ‌
Wagmeister, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth Wagmeister. “Able-Bodied Actors Play 95% of Disabled Characters in Top 10 TV Shows, Says New Study.” Variety, 13 July 2016, variety.com/2016/tv/news/disabled-actors-television-study-1201813686/. ‌
Better Health Channel. “Mental Illness and Violence.” Vic.gov.au, 2012, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/mental-illness-and-violence. ‌
DeMare, Nikita. “Exaggerations and Stereotypes of Schizophrenia in Contemporary Films.” Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, vol. 7, no. 1, 2016, www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1474/exaggerations-and-stereotypes-of-schizophrenia-in-contemporary-films. ‌
“The Myth of Violence and Mental Illness - CMHA Durham.” CMHA Durham, 2016, cmhadurham.ca/finding-help/the-myth-of-violence-and-mental-illness/. ‌
“Mental Health Conditions in Film: Portrayals that Dehumanize and Trivialize Characters.” USC Anneberg Inclusion Initiative, 2019, https://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/aii-study-mental-health-media_052019.pdf.
Pescosolido, Bernice A., et al. ““A Disease like Any Other”? A Decade of Change in Public Reactions to Schizophrenia, Depression, and Alcohol Dependence.” American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 167, no. 11, Nov. 2010, pp. 1321–1330, 10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.09121743. ‌

SOURCES CITED

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DISABILITY & ABLEISM

SOURCES CITED

MEDIA

16. Swanson, Jeffrey W., et al. “Mental Illness and Reduction of Gun Violence and Suicide: Bringing Epidemiologic Research to Policy.” Annals of Epidemiology, vol. 25, no. 5, May 2015, pp. 366–376, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279714001471, 10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.03.004. ‌

17. “Cost of Accommodations Report — Funding the next Generation of Disabled Screenwriters — Inevitable Foundation.” Inevitable Foundation, inevitable.foundation/cost-of-accommodations/download. May 2022. ‌

18. “Benefits and Costs of Accommodation.” Askjan.org, askjan.org/topics/costs.cfm?csSearch=2546498_1. Accessed 16 July 2022. ‌

19. Thompson, Anne, and Anne Thompson. “Here Are 59 Actors Who Landed Oscar Nominations for Portraying Characters with Disabilities.” IndieWire, 25 Sept. 2017, www.indiewire.com/2017/09/actors-oscar-nominations-disabilities-afflictions-1201879957. Accessed 16 July 2022. ‌

DESIGN

20. “Everything You Need to Know about Inclusive Design for Social Media.” Hootsuite Social Media Management, 9 Jan. 2019, blog.hootsuite.com/inclusive-design-social-media/. ‌

21. Colour Blind Awareness. “Colour Blindness.” Colour Blind Awareness, 2022, www.colourblindawareness.org/colour-blindness/. ‌

22. W3C. “Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.3 | Understanding WCAG 2.0.” W3.org, 2016, www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/visual-audio-contrast-contrast.html. ‌

23. “Data Visualization, Design and Information Munging - Martin Krzywinski / Genome Sciences Center.” Mkweb.bcgsc.ca, mkweb.bcgsc.ca/colorblind/. ‌

24. “UX Collective.” UX Collective, uxdesign.cc. ‌

WORKPLACE

25. A Talent Pool That Many Companies Neglect: Employees with Disabilities. ‌https://www.talentinnovation.org/_private/assets/DisabilitiesInclusion_PressRelease.pdf.

26. National Network. “An Overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act | ADA National Network.” Adata.org, 2019, adata.org/factsheet/ADA-overview. ‌

27. “What Is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? - OPM.gov.” U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2019, www.opm.gov/faqs/QA.aspx?fid=4313c618-a96e-4c8e-b078-1f76912a10d9&pid=2c2b1e5b-6ff1-4940-b478-34039a1e1174. ‌

28. “Long Term vs Short Term Disability Insurance – What’s the Difference? | Guardian.” Www.guardianlife.com, www.guardianlife.com/disability-insurance/long-term-vs-short-term. ‌

29. “Types of Reasonable Accommodation | Odr.” Dc.gov, 2019, odr.dc.gov/book/manual-accommodating-employees-disabilities/types-reasonable-accommodation. ‌

SOURCES CITED cont…