Essay on Ableism
Disabled individuals across the world face unprecedented discrimination from the public. Ableism emerged from this worldwide phenomenon to try to describe the act in its true manifestation. Albrecht (2006) defined ableism as prejudice and discriminatory action meted toward disabled individuals. The definition shows that disabled individuals face discrimination and criticism in their pursuit of equal rights. To this extent, the two most important points that I learned regarding ableism are in education and employment. Disabled individuals are considered to be defective. Therefore, less is expected from their pursuit of knowledge. On the other hand, disabled individuals are considered a burden in the employment sector across cultures. Employers consider them as unable to achieve their labor expectations. For instance, the military does not employ disabled persons. As can be seen, ableism poses a significant issue in society, such as stigma that should be addressed.
Stigma manifests in all societies. The most affected group is disabled persons. These people experience the most prejudice because they are devalued by those who consider themselves physically and mentally fit (Ohan, 2018). Therefore, there is a need to address this stigma through education. For instance, the government should adopt nationwide educational campaigns to teach people that disabled individuals are normal, just like any other person. Educational curriculums should also be incorporated with anti-stigma campaigns. This strategy will make it possible for students to gain knowledge about disabilities. The approach will help reduce stigma among disabled individuals significantly. The role of education in this context will be to make the public understand that disabled individuals are part of society, and they can work like any other individual.
There have been significant interventions or policies geared toward protecting the rights and freedoms of disabled individuals. The adoption of educational programs that do not discriminate disabled individuals, as suggested by Albrecht (2006), is the most significant step toward the protection of disabled persons. Additionally, the adoption of policies related to employment will also ensure the right to employment by people with disabilities. These policies are effective in addressing stigma and discrimination meted against people with disabilities.