Actors against Ableism? Qualities of Nondisabled Allies from the Perspective of People with Physical Disabilities

Abstract

We report the results of an interview-based study of the qualities that people with physical and sensory disabilities use to describe effective nondisabled allies. Participants (n = 16) were asked to describe a nondisabled person in their life who understood and cared about the concerns of people with disabilities. A thematic analysis of their responses suggested that they appreciated nondisabled people who offered appropriate help, were trustworthy in their understanding of disability identity, made personal connections, advocated and acted against ableism, were willing to learn, and communicated effectively. Consistent with research about White allies to people of color, participants emphasized both political and social dimensions of being an ally.Psychological research on efforts to oppose discrimination or dismantle systems of oppression has, among other foci, attended to the behaviors and qualities of activists (e.g., Curtin & McGarty, 2016;Duncan & Stewart, 2007) and allies (e.g., Brown, 2015). Allies are typically described as members of dominant groups who are committed to and work on behalf of the liberation of a nondominant group (e.g.,

Critical Disability Studies: Looking Back and Forward

“…On a more hopeful note, two essays address solidarities and structural interventions designed to prevent/minimize ableism. Ostrove, Kornfeld, and Ibrahim () reveal features of “effective” nondisabled allies, as appreciated by disabled informants, whereas Young, Goldberg, Struthers, McCann, and Phills () offer evidence on an educational intervention to reduce ableism.…”

“…I am embarrassed to remember that early in our relationship I would nonverbally wave off and “apologize” to these strangers who seemed to me “just trying to help.” Then, over the years as I watched you man handled, and woman handled, routinely, I stopped apologizing and I too would become enraged. Ostrove et al.’s () piece on allies reminds those of us who are temporarily able‐bodied that we must take our lead from disabled persons. As a set, these essays are far more inclusive of cognitive and psychiatric disabilities than we were; they dig deeply into questions of disclosure, vulnerabilities, and the costs of being “out” or not; they document with chilling precision the embodied, social, and economic price of ableism as a multi‐scalar dynamic, piercing from structural to intrapsychic.…”

Consequences of Confronting Patronizing Help for People with Disabilities: Do Target Gender and Disability Type Matter?

“…In light of the robust interpersonal penalty that people with disabilities have been shown to incur when they confront patronizing help, intervention efforts should focus on providing nondisabled individuals with the necessary tools and resources so that they can advocate on behalf of members of the disability community. Indeed, as revealed by in‐depth interviews with people with physical and sensory disabilities (Ostrove, Kornfeld, & Ibrahim, ), the ability to provide appropriate help that supports the autonomy of people with disabilities without patronization or presuming incompetence was identified as one of the most important qualities of effective allies.…”

Ableism Special Issue Introduction

“…Blind targets were penalized for confronting patronizing behavior regardless of gender, and penalized more for confronting than were wheelchair‐using targets. Qualitative work by Ostrove, Kornfeld, and Ibrahim () examined, in disabled people's own words, features of an effective nondisabled ally. Finally, across two studies, Young, Goldberg, Struthers, McCann, and Phills () found high levels of implicit and explicit ableism toward people with mental illness.…”