Attitudinal
Barriers for People with Disabilities
In the "Quagmire" episode of the television series
The X-Files, Agent Mulder, discussing Moby Dick's Captain
Ahab, tells Scully he always wished he had a physical disability.
His reasoning: because society doesn't expect much from
people with disabilities, he wouldn't have to work so hard
to prove himself. Without a disability, Mulder would be
considered lazy or a failure if he didn't work, whereas
with a disability, he would have an excuse for slacking
and would be called "courageous" for merely holding
a job, let alone succeeding.
The fact that a respected character on one of America's
most popular television shows expressed this viewpoint exemplifies
the rampant attitudinal barriers hindering people with disabilities
in or trying to enter the workforce.
People with disabilities face many barriers every day–from
physical obstacles in buildings to systemic barriers in
employment and civic programs. Yet, often, the most difficult
barriers to overcome are attitudes other people carry regarding
people with disabilities. Whether born from ignorance, fear,
misunderstanding or hate, these attitudes keep people from
appreciating–and experiencing–the full potential
a person with a disability can achieve.
The most pervasive negative attitude is focusing on a person's
disability rather than on an individual's abilities. A lawyer
is effective if he or she has a solid grasp of law and can
present a complete case before a jury or judge; that the
lawyer accesses law books through a Kurzweil reader because
he or she is blind is immaterial to the job skill. A rancher
is effective if she or he feeds the cattle and mends the
fences; that the rancher with paraplegia operates a cattle
feeder system in the bed of a truck via a rod from the cab
or rides an all-terrain vehicle to reach fences is immaterial
to the job skill. A stocker in a factory is effective if
he or she packages the proper number of items in each bin;
that the stocker, because of a developmental disability
that limits attention span, uses a counting device is not
only immaterial to the job skill, but can make–and
has made–that person the most accurate stocker on
the factory floor.
Agent Mulder expresses a more insidious attitude–that
society doesn't expect people with disabilities to perform
up to standard, and when people with disabilities do, they
are somehow courageous. This attitude has the effect of
patronizing people with disabilities, usually relegating
them to low-skill jobs, setting different job standards
(sometimes lower standards which tend to alienate co-workers,
sometimes higher standards to prove they cannot handle a
job), or expecting a worker with a disability to appreciate
the opportunity to work instead of demanding equal pay,
equal benefits, equal opportunity and equal access to workplace
amenities.
Types of Attitudinal Barriers
People with disabilities encounter many different forms
of attitudinal barriers.
- Inferiority
Because a person may be impaired in one of life's major
functions, some people believe that individual is a "second-class
citizen." However, most people with disabilities
have skills that make the impairment moot in the workplace.
- Pity
People feel sorry for the person with a disability, which
tends to lead to patronizing attitudes. People with disabilities
generally don't want pity and charity, just equal opportunity
to earn their own way and live independently.
- Hero worship
People consider someone with a disability who lives independently
or pursues a profession to be brave or "special"
for overcoming a disability. But most people with disabilities
do not want accolades for performing day-to-day tasks.
The disability is there; the individual has simply learned
to adapt by using his or her skills and knowledge, just
as everybody adapts to being tall, short, strong, fast,
easy-going, bald, blonde, etc.
- Ignorance
People with disabilities are often dismissed as incapable
of accomplishing a task without the opportunity to display
their skills. In fact, people with quadriplegia can drive
cars and have children. People who are blind can tell
time on a watch and visit museums. People who are deaf
can play baseball and enjoy music. People with developmental
disabilities can be creative and maintain strong work
ethics.
- The Spread Effect
People assume that an individual's disability negatively
affects other senses, abilities or personality traits,
or that the total person is impaired. For example, many
people shout at people who are blind or don't expect people
using wheelchairs to have the intelligence to speak for
themselves. Focusing on the person's abilities rather
than his or her disability counters this type of prejudice.
- Stereotypes
The other side of the spread effect is the positive and
negative generalizations people form about disabilities.
For example, many believe that all people who are blind
are great musicians or have a keener sense of smell and
hearing, that all people who use wheelchairs are docile
or compete in paralympics, that all people with developmental
disabilities are innocent and sweet-natured, that all
people with disabilities are sad and bitter. Aside from
diminishing the individual and his or her abilities, such
prejudice can set too high or too low a standard for individuals
who are merely human.
- Backlash
Many people believe individuals with disabilities are
given unfair advantages, such as easier work requirements.
Employers need to hold people with disabilities to the
same job standards as co-workers, though the means of
accomplishing the tasks may differ from person to person.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require
special privileges for people with disabilities, just
equal opportunities.
- Denial
Many disabilities are "hidden," such as learning
disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, epilepsy, cancer,
arthritis and heart conditions. People tend to believe
these are not bona fide disabilities needing accommodation.
The ADA defines "disability" as an impairment
that "substantially limits one or more of the major
life activities." Accommodating "hidden"
disabilities which meet the above definition can keep
valued employees on the job and open doors for new employees.
- Fear
Many people are afraid that they will "do or say
the wrong thing" around someone with a disability.
They therefore avert their own discomfort by avoiding
the individual with a disability. As with meeting a person
from a different culture, frequent encounters can raise
the comfort level.
Breaking Down Barriers
Unlike physical and systematic barriers, attitudinal barriers
that often lead to illegal discrimination cannot be overcome
simply through laws. The best remedy is familiarity, getting
people with and without disabilities to mingle as coworkers,
associates and social acquaintances. In time, most of the
attitudes will give way to comfort, respect and friendship.
Tips for interacting with people with disabilities:
- Listen to the person with the disability. Do not make
assumptions about what that person can or cannot do.
- When speaking with a person with a disability, talk
directly to that person, not through his or her companion.
This applies whether the person has a mobility impairment,
a mental impairment, is blind or is deaf and uses an interpreter.
- Extend common courtesies to people with disabilities
as you would anyone else. Shake hands or hand over business
cards. If the person cannot shake your hand or grasp your
card, they will tell you. Do not be ashamed of your attempt,
however.
- If the customer has a speech impairment and you are
having trouble understanding what he or she is saying,
ask the person to repeat rather than pretend you understand.
The former is respectful and leads to accurate communication;
the latter is belittling and leads to embarrassment.
- Offer assistance to a person with a disability, but
wait until your offer is accepted before you help.
- It is okay to feel nervous or uncomfortable around
people with disabilities, and it's okay to admit that.
It is human to feel that way at first. When you encounter
these situations, think "person" first instead
of disability; you will eventually relax.
Source: Office of Disability Employment Policy at http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ek99/barriers.htm |
