Scrounger versus Superhuman, Does Disability have a brand image problem?

This is an opinion piece with some statistics:

As someone who has had a disability since birth and now in my mid 50’s, I have encountered discrimination and negative biases hundreds and thousands of times over that time. At least 50% of the population will be disabled at some time (whether temporarily or permanent) in their lifetime and the other 50% will know someone with a disability.

Firstly, lets look at the perception of disability:

Definitions and Biases

The medical model definition of disability, most of these are the same and the following is from the Americans with Disability ACT (ADA) - a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

These medical definitions of disability puts the issue at the person with the ‘impairment’.  It is they who are affected and not by others.  In reality a disability doesn’t just affect the person with the impairment, but it could affect those around them. Day-to-day planning isn’t the problem as this becomes the norm, its when doing something different, the logistics can be challenging, for example, a leisure activity or going for a meal, finding a suitable location isn’t always simple.

There is an alternative to the medical model, this being the social model. The model says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference. Barriers can be physical, like buildings not having accessible toilets. Or they can be caused by people's attitudes to difference, like assuming disabled people can't do certain things ( Scope ).

 Historically disability was been seen as something not to be talked about, to be hidden away.  Disabled people were and in some countries still hidden away, like a subclass of humanity.  They were put together in homes to be ‘cared for’ and ‘educated’.  Historic terms like ‘handicapped’, ‘spastic’, ‘cripple’ ‘deaf & dumb’ are still commonly used by some today to describe people with disabilities (PwD) without no thought of the impact it has on the individual.  These terms are just as offensive to PwD as other terms are when talked about when referencing race, gender, LGBTQI+ etc, but it seems to be more commonly accepted and when challenged, dismissed as banter.

The 1944 Disabled Persons (Employment) Act in the UK contained reference to a register of disabled people to be maintained by the minister.  The act made it legal obligation for companies to employ a quota of disabled people.  The quota scheme stopped in 1996, but even today people in the UK talk about a register of disabled people even though it doesn’t exist.  Memories are long and it can take time to remove such ideas when people re-enforce the message over and over.  Other countries do have legal quotas, Spain for example applies a 2% quota to companies who employ 50 or more people.

Cost

Having a disability can often result in increased expenses due to the need for special equipment, home modifications, clothing and other support services. However, some countries have programs in place to help offset these costs for individuals with disabilities, such as financial assistance or tax credits. Around 6 million people receive disability related benefits in the UK which is around ¼ of all benefit claims and is probably more representative of the % of the population than are willing to share publicly that they have a disability.  In the last UK census in 2021, 1 in 5 people shared they have a disability.  However, there are many people who do not want to share they have a disability even when they meet the criteria either because they are ashamed, fearful or simply do not want to admit to it. Accessing benefits helps to level the playing field and provides the support that people need to thrive.

The Media - Pariah or Superhuman

Disabled people have been labelled with being lazy, need help and/or scroungers and social pariah’s who take from the public purse and are no benefit to society. Stereotypes and learned ideas were and are perpetuated through popular culture and the media on a regular basis.  Programmes like ‘Claimed and Shamed’ from the BBC which showcases people that have acted fraudulently or the tabloid press often showcase and highlight people that claim disability benefits either fraudulently or act in what they believe is an immoral way.  Often the person being identified does not meet the stereotypical image of a person with a disability, and whilst there are no definitive statistics, up to 80% could be invisible.  It can be traumatic sharing that you have a disability and then not believed or being told you don’t look disabled can prevent you from coming out again. 

Positive promotion can be just as harmful as the negative stereotype is the recent label of being classed as ‘superhuman’ or having ‘superpowers’. In promoting the Paralympics Channel 4 has raised the profile of disability in the public psyche promoting the challenges that are overcome to be elite athletes on the global stage. I actively watched and was proud of all of the athletes competing and doing what they loved. At the last Paralympic Games there were 227 UK athletes which is 1 in 62500 disabled people. You are more likely to be killed by a swarm of bees 1 in 54000 or get a hole in one on the golf course 1 in 2500 than be selected as a Paralympian.  

Neurodiversity is also in the spotlight with neurodivergent thought being classed as a superpower. For some, being able to think differently and focus in on lists and data can be useful in many different careers. However, not every person with Autism Spectrum Disorder will process thoughts in these ways.

There are many people who are promoting and championing the benefits of employing people with disabilities on platforms such as LinkedIn and a growing minority of influencers with disabilities who are starting to have n influence especially with elements of larger companies and with the political arena, who share positive stories. Like all Social Media, the reality for many is that most of the time lives are different and viewing through that lens can be hard to measure up to.

Summary

Both conscious and unconscious biases prevail. The Autistic Society have shared that if you have met one person with autism, you have ‘met one person with autism’.  Similarly if you understand or know someone else with a disability, you know a little about what they have shared with you. Don’t assume that the disability will always be the same. Whether you are disabled or not you will have good and bad days and life affects how we feel. People with disabilities need help sometimes, but don’t we all and we can all show aspects of doing something that is ‘superhuman’ or that others find hard.

Make disability part of the every day conversation.  Don’t expect a person to share that they have a disability. Remove negative language and be prepared to be an ally and tell others when their language is negative. Encourage people to make the workplace safe and inclusive for all, and remove or lower barriers. Not only are you making it better for your friends and colleagues now, you are making it better for your future self.  

Be willing to listen, learn and understand what someone is going through if they share, it will make you a better person and you can help make the world more inclusive.