July is also Disability Pride Month, commemorating the establishment of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
On July 26, 1990, United States former President George H. W. Bush established the ADA. This law demands public spaces, educational institutions and workplaces to be somehow accessible, accommodating and inclusive toward people with physical and/or cognitive disabilities.
The ADA was the first anti-ableist civil rights law of the world. The disability community, along with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities and National Council on Disability, fought for its establishment. Today, disabled people can be out in the community, attend school, vote, earn a degree and/or work without major problems as any person.
As promising as the ADA looks, ableism is still prevalent especially in the personal life of disabled people. Yes, now, individuals with disabilities are somewhat more integrated into society, but what about their social, personal, romantic and sexual human goals and needs? Even though the government, or society, supports them in their medical, physical, academic and professional needs and goals, it still doesn’t recognize their personal, emotional and intimate needs and desires.
Socially, most public places are accessible, but what about residential homes? Disabled people and their families often struggle to find accessible homes that support their lifestyle, sometimes spending extra money and time on renovations or building from scratch. Despite nationwide programs to help with renovation or construction costs, finding an accessible home is a challenge. Everyone can become disabled or have a child with a disability. That’s why the ADA should apply to residential housing standards as well because accessibility benefits everyone, not just the current disability community.
Accessible transportation is another gap. Some people with disabilities need someone to drive them and/or an accessible vehicle. Public and private accessible transportations are unreliable due to schedule conflicts and 24-48 hour booking requirements. A better choice is a personal accessible vehicle, but it’s costly. Grant, fund or loan programs may be available, but lack of awareness leads people to request loans from banks. Most banks won’t cover the accessible modifications, as they are considered accessories. The ADA should increase accessible transportation options and include banking services in its articles.
Disabled individuals face financial limitations in their professional and marital lives due to restricted earnings and potential loss of social benefits like medical coverage. Choosing between benefits and financial independence hinders their growth and competence. The ableist assumption that heterosexual-patriarchal marriages are the primary economic, social and moral stabilizers of society led to this issue. The government views such marriages as a tool to alleviate the state and federal economy’s burden and regulate who can and can’t marry.
Besides the ideal marriage doctrine being sexist and homophobic, it’s also ableist. Married disables have a lower income limit to receive full benefits than singles because the government inaccurately assumes that even someone with a minimum wage can provide for their spouse. From the government’s perspective, marriage is a way to lessen the economic burden of single-parent children and people with disabilities. This forces disabled or inter-abled couples to opt out of marriage or live below the poverty line, which can cause life-threatening circumstances, and not everyone is willing to do so. Thus, people with disabilities are somewhat denied a civil right.
These challenges are just the tip of an ableist iceberg, not only in the US, but globally. Before even thinking about marriage, disabled people must confront the struggles of finding their soulmate. Throughout history, individuals with disabilities have been marginalized. Families might have believed that they’re a burden and/or shame of the family, excluding them from social events and personal successes with the ableist assumption that they couldn’t socialize, have friendships nor romantic relationships.
Ableist ideology has historical roots in the early 1900s eugenics movement and Nazi massacre of disabled people. Historical art, literature and media often portrayed disabled people in a mocking manner, unnormalizing disability in society. This has led to assumptions that disabled people are inefficient, incapable of love or attraction and lack sexual desires, making it difficult for them to have romantic relationships.
People with disabilities have also internalized ableism. Society has conditioned people to view disabilities as abnormal, despite everyone being susceptible to becoming disabled due to accidents, diseases or age. This negatively affects disabled people’s self-esteem and self-perception. Many disabled individuals question their attractiveness and lack confidence in confessing their feelings due to fear of rejection or the discomfort of others. For them and even their families, internalized ableism can serve as a shield to prevent hardships, but it also perpetuates self-oppression, hindering a normal, fulfilling social and sexual life.
Society has dehumanized disabled people. Yes, people with disabilities are externally different, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a mind, heart and soul that deserve to love and be loved. They are still human beings who deserve more than just superficial and materialistic support. They deserve to experience satisfying romantic relationships, pleasurable sexual encounters and even marriage just like any ordinary person. They deserve to live beyond what the current ADA and society expect. Disabilities should not be reasons to look away, but reasons to see deeper than the surface.