The Problem of Ableism, Its Causes, Effects, and Solutions

One billion people or 15% of the world's population is disabled. People with disabilities are part of the world's largest minority group and not many people recognize this and often overlook this fact. The population discriminates against people with disabilities and this act of segregation is called ableism. Ableism dates back all the way to 300 BC and affects everyone, everywhere, though mainly people with disabilities. It is a huge issue that isn't talked about enough and should end. The issue of ableism itself is in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR was created by the Draft Committee with Eleanor Roosevelt leading the meeting for the creation of it. It is a document that protects and states every human's rights and was created on December 10, 1948 in Paris, France. The UDHR was made in order to protect everybody's rights yet the main trigger was the Holocaust. After the discrimination and mass murder of Jews led by Adolf Hitler, people wanted to make sure that it would never happen again. One very big right in the UDHR is the right to be treated equally. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen all the time. Ableism is just one example of this. Ableism is an issue because people with disabilities are discriminated against, they don't have their own voice, and they are defined by their disability. This is a problem that needs to end but in order to solve the issue of ableism, one has to first understand what it is. 

Ableism is an issue that affects people worldwide and affects people with disabilities. Ableism is not a well known issue, yet it happens very often due to the fact of how normalized it has become in our society. In fact, an article published by the Achievement Center of Texas states, 'Many, if not most, people with disabilities are victims of ableism.' Most of ableism is caused by assumptions of people with disabilities. It can also stem from people thinking that they need to feel pity for that person or from stereotypes. An informational presentation by Devin Axtman claimed that 'Leads to disability being seen as *THE OTHER* and something to be overcome.' There is such a lack of knowledge on disabilities and how vast the spectrum of disabilities is. There are visible and invisible types of disabilities but not many people may realize this. To really illustrate what ableism is, one must look at it's past and see where it originated. 

The issue of ableism must've stemmed from somewhere, some time. Surprisingly, ableism has been around for more than 2000 years. One very early example of this can be dated back all the way to 355 BC. Records show that the Greek philosopher Aristotle remarked that 'Those born deaf become senseless and incapable of reason.' There are many important events that the disability community has experienced. They can range from the 'War of Dots' —in which blind people argue for traditional braille — all the way to the opening of mental institutions. A document by the Bancroft Library shows '1848 The first residential institution for people with mental retardation is founded by Samuel Gridley Howe at the Perkins Institution in Boston. During the next century hundreds of thousands of developmentally disabled children and adults will be institutionalized, many for their entire lives.' Ableism was and still is very present in the world. Many actions and events that occurred were largely against the disability community. Now that one knows where it came from, one must know why it came to be. 

There are many factors that pile up to add to the issue of ableism. One of the many reasons of ableism are the negative attitudes toward people with disabilities. People also jump to conclusions very quickly and make assumptions about people with disabilities. A post on Erin Human describes that 'There is no single cause of ableism; rather, it is a complex and interrelated set of attitudes, assumptions, and prejudicial biases.' Much of the population is also inexperienced and uncomfortable with people with disabilities. Even though they are 15% of the world's population, not many people know how to interact with them. A speech made by Stella Young, a disability activist, mentions 'This kid had only ever experienced disabled people as objects of inspiration.' If society continues to exclude people with disabilities, the less often 6 people will come across someone who has a disability. The only way to fix these assumptions and negative attitudes toward people with disabilities is to make them a part of the community. In summary, many factors contribute to ableism and it is a huge violation. 

Ableism shouldn't be overlooked and it is a serious issue where people with disabilities may feel violated. Everybody should be treated equally but when society lets people treat others different because of their disability, society is one step closer to a more segregated world. A report presented by H-Dirkson L. Bauman, a Ph.D graduate, states 'Some persons believe it is ableism that prevents disabled people from participating in the social fabric of their communities, rather than impairments in physical, mental, or emotional ability.' One extreme violation of people with disabilities was the Nazi euthanasia program. This program was made in order to kill and exterminate people with disabilities so that there could be a 'pure' race. The chemical that was used is called Tiergartenstrasse or more commonly known as T4. An estimated 250,000 people were killed by this program. An article by the Holocaust Encyclopedia explains 'In the spring and summer months of 1939, a number of planners began to organize a secret killing operation targeting disabled children.' Killing off people because they are either 'unworthy of life' or a 'burden' is very inhumane and unthinkable. Ableism shouldn't be an issue nor should it be violated due to the fact that there are laws preventing it. There are a variety of laws and documents that have been put in action in order to lessen ableism. One of the most known document that protects the rights of people with disabilities is the Americans with Disabilities Act or the ADA. The ADA was created in 1990 and bans discrimination based on disability in employment, government, transportation, and gives people with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in events and activities A guide to disability rights laws by the U.S. Department of Justice explains 'The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.' There is a spectrum of laws and documents in favor of persons with disabilities ranging from the Civil Rights Reform Act — which hopes to stop discrimination in disabled applicants — to the Rehabilitation Act — which authorizes funding for disability related activities. The United States Department of Labor owns a webpage that states 'There are five important federal laws that protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in employment and the job application process: The Americans with Disabilities Act The Rehabilitation Act The Workforce Investment Act The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act The Civil Service Reform Act.' These documents and laws are all very important and are significant aids to the disability community. One very famous document where ableism is including and violated is the UDHR. Ableism is a worldwide issue despite it being in one of the most famous human rights documents. The articles that are violated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are article one, two, nineteen, and twenty-three. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article one states 'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.' Article nineteen states that everyone has the right to express their opinions with 11 no interference from any other people. Article twenty three states that everyone is treated equally in work environments and everyone gets equal pay. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article two states 'Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.' All of these articles are somehow in favor of the disability community ranging from everyone being treated in a spirit of brotherhood to everyone having equal opportunities and treatment. Now since the issue of ableism is talked about in the UDHR, why does it exist? 

Despite the UDHR being a well known document, not many people pay attention to the human rights listed. Many people don't really know how large the disability spectrum is. Instead, people think that accommodations only need to be made for those who are physically disabled. 

Though the government has tried hard to lessen the challenges for people with disabilities through laws or other benefits, not all of them are accessible to everybody. An article written on Bulawayo 24 News by Linda T. Masarira explains 'The Government has enacted various laws to address disability in order to mitigate the challenges that the disabled face. The Disabled Persons Act, the Mental Health Act are some of the legislature. The Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Services also cater for the disabled in the department of Social Services. The disabled are provided with small grants and foodstuffs. However these benefits are not accessible to the majority of the disabled.' Communities don't know how often people with physical disabilities use the accessibility ramps and other mobile adjustments the government has put in place. Some people really need these to get around and many places where it is thought that they're not needed, don't have it. An article written by Rachel Bluth from the Washington Post states 'Laws meant to prohibit discrimination against the disabled fall short when it comes to visiting the doctor's office, leaving patients with disabilities to navigate a tricky obstacle course that not only leaves them feeling awkward but also jeopardizes their care.' Little people are acknowledged about how necessary it is for these adjustments to be put in place. One now knows why it exists despite being in the UDHR, but one doesn't know who or what put the issue of ableism in action. Everyone and everything can be responsible for the discrimination against people who are disabled. Ultimately, all the misinterpretations and stigma surrounding people with disabilities. People who add to this stigma and endorse it, or follow it add to the issue of ableism. 

One common stereotype of people with mental illnesses is that they're all violent when in reality, they're really not. The Ontario Human Rights Commission wrote 'Discrimination against people with mental health or addiction issues is often linked to prejudicial attitudes, negative stereotyping, and the overall stigma surrounding mental health and addictions. All of these concepts are interrelated.'15 Some schools can add to the stress that kids with disabilities may or may not already have. Schools can put unnecessary pressure and make a student feel bad about themselves because of their disability. For example, a kid with dyslexia shouldn't be forced to read a higher level book to 'train the brain'. A post written by Thomas Hehir from Educational Leadership states 'Negative cultural attitudes toward disability can undermine opportunities for all students to participate fully in school and society.' Society can't just wait for something 16 magical to happen and for ableism to just suddenly disappear, no, instead society needs to take steps towards making students with disabilities feel more comfortable in schools or educating the public about disabilities. These people and actions that are responsible greatly affect a group of people. 

With ableism, there are everyday obstacles that people face. People who have speaking, hearing, reading, writing, and understanding abilities face communication barriers. People with vision impairments can face barriers for thing with small print and no large print material or lack of Braille. People with auditory impairments can struggle with videos that don't have captioning or lack of other forms of communication like American Sign Language. An article by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains 'Nearly everyone faces hardships and difficulties at one time or another. But for people with disabilities, barriers can be more frequent and have greater impact.' There are also mobility issues for those who are physically disabled and economic issues for those who need prosthetics, wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc. A post made by Linda T. Masarira from Bulawayo News says 'The challenges that disabled persons suffer range from physical (structural), emotional, economic, and psychological, education, and culture'. People with disabilities can be easily targeted and pushed around because people think of them as less. Even though people with disabilities face the most challenges, their families may face challenges with them. 

Families play a big role in the life of a family member with a disability. There are mothers that are afraid of having their child be discriminated against, that they try to hide their disability to their best capability. People may also think that non disabled family members are getting in the way of a more inclusive society. An article written by Ph. D Susan L. Neely-Barnes claims 'Qualitative research findings also show that families may collude with an ableist agenda and look for ways to make their member with a disability appear less disabled.' In the mid 1900's patients were admitted to mental institutions often by family members because they were called a burden. Patients couldn't argue and weren't taken seriously because of how they were viewed with their disability. A piece based on the treatment of disabled people through history states 'Patients were often admitted by families against their own will as they were seen as a burden; the patients could not contest the confinements. Though families may not enter their children in an institution, there are ways that families act towards their kin which can make them feel a range of emotions. Families including people with disabilities face hardships and when one realizes how many people there are that face these hardships, it would be hard not to be mind blown. 

Unlike many people think, there are actually many people with disabilities. The American Community Survey estimates that the amount of people with disabilities in the US is 12.6% as of 2015 and has risen since. In 2010, this percentage was at 11.9%. A report written by the ACS claims 'The American Community Survey (ACS) estimates the overall rate of people with disabilities in the US population in 2015 was 12.6%.' The state with the lowest percentage of 23 people with disabilities is Utah with 9.9% and the highest is West Virginia with 19.4%, almost double that of Utah. With that being said, it is clear that people with disabilities are a huge part of the population and in order to make them feel more including, society must make proper adjustments. A report by Disabled World states 'Understanding the prevalence of the disability population in various U.S. counties and cities is important for programs, urban, community, service planners and researchers to make decisions and address the needs of persons with disabilities.' A huge number of people have disabilities and because of this the community must welcome them with good intentions. With this vast number of people that have disabilities, it would be hard not to stumble across one and when some people do, their reactions can be surprising. People with disabilities are prone to many reactions by strangers. When people meet a kid with a disability their reactions may be strange just because it might be the first time they meet a child with a disability and it's very new to them. Some reactions to a kid with disabilities might be shocked, confused, unsure, afraid, curious, stare, offer help, ignore, or avoid that person. A compilation of disabled people's experience states 'Those with mobility problems have been offered seats on the train or help with their shopping. But people have also been the victims of petty crime and have been challenged by members of the public over their use of a blue badge.' It is a boiling pot of 26 reactions that people with disabilities get sometimes everyday. One reaction people might have is wanting to include and represent the persons or person with a disability, though they have good intentions, many are horribly misinterpreted and represented in pop culture. 

Pop culture doesn't represent people with disabilities the right way and because of this they are often misinterpreted. People with disabilities are being represented in pop culture more often but many times they aren't being represented right. One example of misinterpretation is magical little people or dwarves that bring magic to people and live in the forest but there are people currently living with this disability. Another trope is the helpless victim trope where a person with a disability can't care for themselves. The last misinterpretation is the eternal innocence trope where a character with a disability is and will always be completely innocent. A piece written by Sean Arnold, a person with a disability, writes 'On the opposite end of the spectrum, the sheer presence of a person with a disability attempting any sense of normalcy shouldn't be considered inherently moving. Someone in a wheelchair can be a jerk in a wheelchair.' There are also a staggering amount of characters that are disabled which are playing by non disabled people. A recent study shows that 5% of TV characters that are disabled are actually played by people with disabilities. An article written by Bethonie Butler explains 'On television, the number of actors without disabilities portraying disabled characters is staggering.' These misinterpretations of people with disabilities can send wrong messages. One 28 effect of this misinterpretation of people with disabilities is that many don't know how financially draining it is to have a disability. 

People with disabilities have more economic needs than someone who doesn't have a disability. There are services that help with disabled people's financial state. One common one is a long term disability insurance policy which costs 1-3% of someone's annual pay. Factors like age, health, occupation, and even where someone lives can change the amount of money a LTD policy will cost. Policy Genius makes it clear 'In most cases, a long-term disability insurance policy will cost 1-3% of your annual salary, and is the most cost-effective form of income protection you can get, starting at around $25 a month and going as high as $500 a month.'29 Two other major services that help people with disabilities is the Social Security Disability Insurance and and the Supplemental Security Income. The SSI is a welfare program for people with low income and fewer resources. The current benefit is $735 a month. The SSDI is an insurance program for workers who become disabled and are unable to work after paying Social Security taxes for at least 10 years. The American Psychological Association writes 'The high incidence of poverty among persons with a disability fuels doubts about the sufficiency of public assistance to these individuals and incentives to help people return to work.' Though some of these services may be hard to benefit from immediately, they help in the long run. Many people and companies have pitched in to make living with a disability more affordable which is a huge improvement that is ongoing. 

The way people with disabilities are treated has improved over the 2000 years since it first begun. One huge step for society was deinstitutionalization which started in the 1960s. It was a government policy which moved mental health patients out of state run 'insane asylums' into community mental health centers. This occurred because of the development of psychiatric drugs which treated many symptoms of some patients. Society also realized that the mentally ill should be treated rather than being locked away. An article by Kimberly Amadeo from The Balance points out “Deinstitutionalization successfully gave more rights to the mentally challenged. Many of those in mental hospitals lived in the backwater for decades. They received varying levels of care. It also changed the culture of treatment from 'send them away' to integrate them into society where possible.” At first people tried to 'cure' those with 31 disabilities through ways such as electroshock therapy yet it was clear that this didn't work. One aid in deinstitutionalization was in 1980 when President Jimmy Carter signs the Mental Health Systems Act which hopes to restructure the community mental health center program and improve services for people with mental illnesses. Medicaid was also a big contributor and helper to deinstitutionalization. People have used all types of strategies to fight for the disabled and get where we are right now. In order for improvement to start, there must be some strategies that are used; some are effective, and others, not so much. 

There are many ways in which people are trying to limit ableism and some strategies have worked, others have not. There are a vast number of organizations all using different strategies to combat ableism. Two examples are the American Association of People with Disabilities which tries implementing nondiscrimination laws for those with disabilities, and the National Organization on Disability which raises disability awareness by spreading news, information, and resources. The National Center on Disability and Journalism states 'AAPD works in coalition with other disability organizations for the full implementation and enforcement of disability nondiscrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.' One other popular organization that uses effective strategies is VOR. VOR stands for A Voice Of Reason and their mission is to represent people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to the best of their ability. VOR claims 'For 30 years, VOR has been representing families of individuals with I/DD, many of whom experience severe and profound developmental disabilities, have multiple physical disabilities, and are medically fragile or experience dangerous behaviors.'34 They also claim that the people and families of those with disabilities, feel welcomed. Strategies like these have been helping the disabled community. One common strategy is being more inclusive and making things more handicap accessible. 

People have made certain things more accessible to people with physical disabilities. There are a set of rules and requirements that a building must meet to be called handicap accessible. These things may be handicap accessible for those with physical, visionary, hearing, or hearing disabilities. A guideline published by the National Disability Authority states 'The National Disability Authority's Access Handbook Template defines an Access Handbook as an internal document for the use of management, maintenance personnel and new staff; and which all staff should be aware of.' There are some exceptions though. Buildings constructed before 1992 don't need to follow the most recent guidelines. Some guidelines include wheelchair ramps with certain measurements, the option of Braille, an induction loop system, and everything needs to be lit. Access Advocates states 'The ADA is a civil rights law that was signed into law in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush. A small business owner needs to be aware that one provision in the law refers to public accommodation. This is a provision that makes it illegal to not have wheelchair access for disabled individuals.' These adjustments have helped people 36 with disabilities in their everyday life. People have worked hard to get to this point. Many people work actively to make things more accessible to everyone and people should recognize those people more often. 

There are people who have actively gone against ableism and since they are more well known then others, they can impact more people. There are multiple ways to speak out about an issue. Some ways include direct action, filmmaking, journalism, media, and plenty others. There are people with disabilities that are activists like Minnie and others that don't have a disability like David M. Perry. An article by Amy Bergen from Idealist Careers comments 'High-profile activists in the area of disability rights activism, many of whom have disabilities themselves, are changing the way Americans think about disability.' Perry advocates through journalism and is known for his thoughts on how people with disabilities are treated since he is a father to a child with down syndrome and has seen firsthand how people treat those others. Minnie is a disability activist from Bangladesh and had polio as a child which caused her to lose the ability to use her legs. She had no wheelchair and had to be carried to school. Minnie experienced lots of stigma surrounding her. She helped form 'Women's Council' with the help of ADD international. Minnie remarked 'We decided to form 'Women's Councils' to tackle the problem. There are now 10 councils in our area where disabled women can report violence, torture, rape. To help run the councils, ADD International gave me trainings in finance, office management, IT, advocacy - I was completely ignorant about these things before.' Anyone can be an activist if they truly 38 have the drive and passion for what they're fighting for. Someone that doesn’t have a disability can still advocate for this issue even through small actions. 

Just because someone isn't necessarily impacted by ableism, they can still do everyday things that can help people with disabilities. One small action anyone can do is take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible in order to make space for the people who really need it. Another very simple action one can take is to just remember that people with disabilities are still people and don't wanna be treated differently because of their disability. An article by Erin Tatum on Everyday Feminism claims 'Superficial circumstances, especially ones as obvious as physical disability, can obscure who a person really is. Don't sell yourself short with stereotypes. Get to know us. Humanity should be shared, not allocated in increments based on privilege or experiences. A person with a disability could change your perspective on things, but it's just as likely that you could change ours, too.' People with disabilities also want to be talked to like any other human being though some people may not know how to do this. When talking to someone with a disability, a person has to simply be themselves but still be respectful of how they communicate. If someone doesn't want to talk about their disability, one should respect their requests. Latter-Day Saints states 'Just as no one person is like another, no person with a disability is the same as another, even if he or she has the same disability. A disability is a functional limitation that may interfere with a person's ability to walk, hear, talk, see, think, and learn but does not affect each person in the same way.' People with disabilities are first people. They should be seen as people and each and every one is their own person. People with disabilities don't need others to stand up for themselves and many people with disabilities do many things, on their own, for their rights. 

People with disabilities have their own voice and are able to voice their opinion and experience with ableism. There are many people with disabilities who fight for themselves and for the disability community. A lot of them do this through speeches that can be found on YouTube. One person in particular like this is Judith Heumann. Judith and other disabled people band together to fight discrimination and what was born is now called the Disability Rights Movement. Judith recalled 'But I was learning as my friends were, and people I didn't know around the country. That, we had to be our own advocate. That we needed to fight back.' Judith's calls were answered and one very memorable moment was when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. People with disabilities from all over the United States climbed up the capital's steps when the ADA was passed. There are also people that don't live in the US but are still active against ableism. One example are the women with disabilities in Rwanda. A Rwandan organization called Umuryango Nyarwanda w’Abagore Bafite Ubumuga or UNABU is a group of women with disabilities that come together to empower women and fight violence against women with disabilities. Disability Rights Fund explains 'Gaudence Mushimiyimana, herself a woman with disability and the co-founder and executive director of UNABU, leads a group of women with disabilities who are determined to tackle this issue and rectify the difficult situations encountered by women with disabilities.' People with disabilities have proven over and over again throughout history that they are strong people who can fight for themselves and get the outcome that they've hoped for. There are people with disabilities that fight for their rights through organizations that they may join. 

There are a multitude of organizations that fight and make sure that people with disabilities are treated the same as everybody else. Some big disability organizations that are in benefit for those who are disabled are the American Psychiatric Association, National Organization on Disability, and the International Paralympic Committee. All of these organizations focus on something different for example the IPC organizes the summer and winter Paralympics for non-able bodied people while others like the American Psychiatric Association — the largest psychiatric organization in the world — is a place where psychiatrists share their research and findings with each other. The National Center on Disability and Journalism states 'National Organization on Disability — Raises disability awareness through the dissemination of disability-related news, information and resources.' The NCDJ provides good information about many disability organizations. One specific organization is the Autism Society of America which focuses on people who have autism. The ASA participates in fair hiring practices and is an equal opportunity employer, as well as having one of the most visited websites on autism. The Autism Society of America is a safe and welcoming place for those with autism and their families. The Autism Society of America claims 'The Autism Society of America has been improving the lives of all affected by autism for over 50 years and envisions a world where individuals and families living with autism are able to maximize their quality of life, are treated with the highest level of dignity, and live in a society in which their talents and skills are appreciated and valued.' Organizations hope to make those with disabilities feel welcome and that they are part of their community. Many organizations and plenty of colleges and universities hold events to spread disability awareness. 

Among many colleges and other places, events are held to spread awareness about ableism. October is national disability awareness month. Kent State University celebrates disability awareness month every October, each year. They hold many events that may educate the masses or make people with disabilities feel welcomed. They people with visionary, hearing, mobility, and mental disabilities. Kent State University states 'SAS celebrates disAbility Awareness Month- the 'd' is intentionally lower case to emphasize people's ability rather than disability - every October in an effort to highlight the various and wide-ranging abilities of people who may otherwise be considered 'disabled.'' Another university that holds events is Syracuse University which also has affairs that include both the non and able bodied people can come. Students help to organize these events. Syracuse University states 'Throughout the month of October, the Disability Cultural Center (DCC) and a host of campus partners and student organizations will host Disability Awareness and Appreciation Month. The month's events will focus on disability and its many intersections.' The main goal for every event is to either spread awareness about or include people with disabilities. These events that spread awareness bring humanity as a whole, closer to the end of ableism. 

For everyone's sake, ableism needs to end and there are numerous ways we can lead the way to the end of ableism. One way to end ableism is by trying to understand people with disabilities. There are people with disabilities that share their experiences in which people can learn from. One over arching strategy that can help end ableism is to respect those with disabilities by not making assumptions, being open minded, thinking about what to say, etc. Supporting causes in favor of people with disabilities can help bring awareness to how serious ableism really is. Even the simple act if interacting with someone who has a disability can make that person's day better and others around may learn from this and do it themselves. Donna Chambers from SensaCalm writes 'If you or a loved one has a disability, there are ways to help able-bodied people in your life gain a greater understanding of disability. And if you're an able-bodied person yourself, you can use these tips to transform the way you perceive people with disabilities. After all, a more inclusive world is better for everyone.' The world is already on it's way to ending ableism. A great example of this is the ALS ice bucket challenge which raised much awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and raised $115 million over an eight-week period in 2014. It isn't that hard to combat ableism. If everyone could just be a little more open minded and inclusive everyone will be happier. Once humanity can end ableism, they have to make sure that it'll never happen and prevent it from happening ever again in the future. 

People have to make sure that ableism ends and never happens again and that history doesn't repeat itself. Kids can be thought at an early age to be more open minded towards everyone. Humanity can also be more careful in what words to use because there are words that are ableist thigh they may not seem that they are. Some of these words include madman, crazy, insane, maniac, etc. Being more careful with the use of these words can make everyone more comfortable. Elizabeth Maldonado from Allegis Global Solutions writes 'The pushback against political correctness and language is palpable — people do not like being asked to change. And yet, with all of that resistance, people do change. It can be hard to do, but if you start to pay attention to what is considered ableist language, you can have a long list of new words to learn and replace.' People could be more aware by realizing how licky they are to be bale to use their legs or ears or eyes really well. Taking things for granted is something that happens everyday so if people realize that they have so many things that are accessible to them which may not be to others, can open up their mind a bit. Deborah El Padilla from The Mighty states 'The sad part is, society doesn't realize half the time that they are participating in ableist acts, simply because they do not mean any harm.' It is clear that ableism should stop immediately for the benefit of 50 everyone. Once ableism is eliminated, the world will be a happier and better place for everyone, everywhere. 

Ableism is a huge problem everywhere and should stop right away because people are being treated unfairly, not taken seriously, and are being viewed only by their disability. As one can see, ableism has been around for a very long time, yet not many people acknowledge or even know about ableism. Even though so many people are affected by this through big and small actions. Even though people with disabilities have continued fighting for their rights. Even though there are laws and documents preventing ableism, it is an issue and it will not change unless people start to step in. Today, people are becoming more aware and inclusive of people with disabilities. Even though there are still many acts of ableism, more people are deciding to stand up against it. 'That quote 'the only disability in life is a bad attitude', the reason that's bullshit is. . . No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshelf and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into Braille.'