For Allies
All disabled people have the right to support that centers our autonomy, dignity, and leadership. This page is informed by what disabled people have said, written, and organized around for decades. The best way to be an ally is to listen to disabled people.
Why This Matters
Section titled “Why This Matters”You want to support disabled people. That’s good—and how you do it matters. Well-meaning support can cause harm when it’s based on pity, when it speaks over disabled people, or when it centers the helper’s feelings instead of disabled people’s actual needs.
Effective allyship requires ongoing learning, humility, and willingness to follow disabled people’s lead. It means using your access and privilege to support disabled leadership, not to replace it.
Start Here
Section titled “Start Here”What “Ally” Means
Section titled “What “Ally” Means”An ally is someone who uses their privilege to support marginalized groups, takes direction from the community they’re supporting, does ongoing work rather than one-time gestures, is willing to make mistakes and learn from them, and centers disabled people’s voices rather than their own.
The Most Important Principle
Section titled “The Most Important Principle”Nothing About Us Without Us
This phrase, central to the disability rights movement, means including disabled people in decisions that affect us, not speaking for us when we can speak for ourselves, recognizing that our expertise on our own lives matters most, and ensuring that policies, programs, and organizations about disability have disabled leadership.
Common Mistakes Allies Make
Section titled “Common Mistakes Allies Make”Speaking Over Disabled People
Section titled “Speaking Over Disabled People”This includes answering questions directed at a disabled person, explaining disability to disabled people, assuming you know what’s best, and taking up space in disability conversations.
Instead: Listen. Amplify disabled voices. Step back.
Inspiration Porn
Section titled “Inspiration Porn”This includes praising disabled people for ordinary activities (“So inspiring that you go to work!”), sharing stories of disabled people to make non-disabled people feel good, framing disability as tragedy to overcome, and using disabled people as motivation (“At least you’re not in a wheelchair!”).
Instead: See disabled people as regular people. Reserve “inspiring” for actually inspiring things.
Assuming What We Need
Section titled “Assuming What We Need”This includes grabbing a wheelchair without asking, “helping” without consent, deciding what’s accessible without asking disabled people, and making assumptions about capabilities.
Instead: Ask before helping. Believe disabled people about our own needs.
Centering Yourself
Section titled “Centering Yourself”This includes making disability conversations about your feelings, expecting disabled people to educate you for free, getting defensive when corrected, and seeking praise for basic decency.
Instead: Do your own learning. Accept feedback gracefully. This isn’t about you.
Pity and Charity Framing
Section titled “Pity and Charity Framing”This includes treating disability as inherently tragic, framing support as charity rather than rights, “giving voice to the voiceless” (we have voices), and focusing on what disabled people “can’t” do.
Instead: Approach disability as a rights and justice issue. Disabled people aren’t objects of charity.
How to Actually Help
Section titled “How to Actually Help”Listen and Learn
Section titled “Listen and Learn”Read what disabled people write. Follow disabled creators, activists, and thinkers. Attend disability events as a learner, not an expert. Believe disabled people about our experiences. Accept that you’ll never fully understand, and that’s okay.
Make Things Accessible
Section titled “Make Things Accessible”Learn about accessibility needs relevant to your context. Include image descriptions on social media. Caption your videos. Choose accessible venues for events. Ask about access needs and follow through on what you learn. Don’t treat accessibility as optional or “extra.”
Show Up
Section titled “Show Up”Support disability rights campaigns. Contact legislators on disability issues. Attend protests and actions—and help make them accessible. Share disability content and amplify disabled voices. Vote for candidates who support disability rights. Include disability in your other justice work.
Use Your Privilege
Section titled “Use Your Privilege”Speak up when you witness ableism. Challenge ableist jokes and language. Advocate for accessibility in your workplace, school, and community. Hire and include disabled people. Share resources and opportunities with disabled people.
Give Resources
Section titled “Give Resources”Donate to disabled-led organizations. Support disabled artists and creators. Fund accessibility measures. Share your professional skills. Contribute time, money, and access.
Step Back
Section titled “Step Back”Don’t lead disability spaces as a non-disabled person. Support disabled leadership. Don’t take jobs, positions, or platforms that should go to disabled people. Recognize when your presence isn’t needed.
Understanding Ableism
Section titled “Understanding Ableism”What It Is
Section titled “What It Is”Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against disabled people based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. It operates on multiple levels: individual (personal attitudes, biases, behaviors), institutional (policies, practices, systems that disadvantage disabled people), and cultural (norms, media representation, language that devalues disability).
Everyday Ableism
Section titled “Everyday Ableism”Things non-disabled people might not notice include inaccessible buildings, websites, and events; assumptions that disabled people can’t work, parent, or be in relationships; using disability as insult (“That’s so lame,” “Are you deaf?”); staring, intrusive questions, and unsolicited advice; treating disabled people as children; and not including disability in diversity efforts.
Internalized Ableism
Section titled “Internalized Ableism”Disabled people can internalize ableist messages too. As an ally, recognize this is the result of living in an ableist society, not a personal failing of the disabled person.
Specific Situations
Section titled “Specific Situations”At Work
Section titled “At Work”Advocate for accessible hiring practices. Support accommodation requests—don’t make colleagues justify their needs. Include disability in DEI efforts. Challenge ableist comments. Don’t assume disabled colleagues can’t do things. Create accessible documents and meetings.
For more detailed guidance, see Professional Toolkits, particularly Employers & HR.
In Social Settings
Section titled “In Social Settings”Choose accessible venues. Provide accessibility information upfront. Don’t make access a big deal. Include disabled friends in planning. Check in without hovering. Don’t interrogate people about their disabilities.
As a Parent of a Disabled Child
Section titled “As a Parent of a Disabled Child”Connect your child with disabled adults and role models. Presume competence. Support your child’s autonomy. Listen to disabled adults’ perspectives on raising disabled children. Don’t center your own experience over your child’s. Fight for your child’s rights while preparing them to self-advocate.
As a Healthcare Provider
Section titled “As a Healthcare Provider”Believe disabled patients. Learn about specific conditions rather than expecting us to educate you. Make your practice accessible. Don’t assume all health problems are disability-related. Respect our expertise on our own bodies. See us as whole people, not just diagnoses.
For detailed guidance, see Healthcare Providers Toolkit.
As an Educator
Section titled “As an Educator”Implement Universal Design for Learning. Provide accommodations without making it a big deal. Include disability in curriculum. Challenge ableism in your classroom. Have high expectations for disabled students. Center disabled perspectives when teaching about disability.
For detailed guidance, see Educators Toolkit.
As a Creator or Designer
Section titled “As a Creator or Designer”Build accessibility in from the start. Include disabled people in the design process. Learn accessibility standards for your field. Don’t treat accessibility as optional or “nice to have.” Represent disability authentically in media.
For detailed guidance, see Architects & Designers Toolkit.
Allyship Across Disability Types
Section titled “Allyship Across Disability Types”Physical Disabilities
Section titled “Physical Disabilities”Don’t touch wheelchairs or mobility aids without permission—they’re extensions of the person’s body. Don’t move things people have placed within reach. Make spaces physically accessible. Don’t assume physical disability means cognitive disability.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Section titled “Deaf and Hard of Hearing”Learn about Deaf culture (capital D refers to cultural identity). Face the person when speaking. Don’t shout—it doesn’t help. Provide captioning and interpreters. Don’t cover your mouth when speaking.
Blind and Low Vision
Section titled “Blind and Low Vision”Identify yourself when approaching rather than assuming recognition. Don’t grab or guide without asking. Describe visual information when relevant. Don’t pet or distract service dogs without permission. Make digital content accessible.
Neurodivergent People
Section titled “Neurodivergent People”Don’t assume what someone can or can’t do. Respect different communication styles. Accept stimming and other self-regulation. Don’t force eye contact or “normal” behavior. Provide clear, direct communication when asked.
Chronic Illness
Section titled “Chronic Illness”Believe people about invisible symptoms. Don’t suggest cures or treatments—we’ve heard them all. Understand that symptoms fluctuate. Accept when people need to cancel or rest. Don’t say “But you don’t look sick.”
Psychiatric Disabilities
Section titled “Psychiatric Disabilities”Don’t use psychiatric terms as insults (“That’s crazy”). Respect privacy about mental health status. Support people without trying to “fix” them. Challenge stigma. Learn about peer support and recovery models.
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Section titled “Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities”Presume competence. Speak directly to the person, not their companion. Don’t infantilize adults. Support self-determination. Use plain language without being condescending.
When You Make Mistakes
Section titled “When You Make Mistakes”You will make mistakes. Here’s how to handle them:
Apologize briefly and specifically: “I’m sorry I [what you did]. That was ableist.”
Don’t center your feelings: This isn’t about your guilt.
Learn from it: Reflect on what went wrong.
Do better: Change your behavior going forward.
Don’t expect praise for apologizing: This is baseline.
What not to do: Make excuses, get defensive, demand emotional labor explaining why it was wrong, expect disabled people to absolve you, or give up and stop trying.
This Is Ongoing Work
Section titled “This Is Ongoing Work”Being an ally isn’t a destination—it’s continuous practice. Keep learning. Stay humble. Accept feedback. Show up consistently. Center disabled people. Do the work even when no one’s watching.
Resources for Learning
Section titled “Resources for Learning”- Disability Visibility edited by Alice Wong
- Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
- Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
- Nothing About Us Without Us by James Charlton
Documentaries
Section titled “Documentaries”- Crip Camp (Netflix)
- When Billy Broke His Head
- Lives Worth Living
Follow Disabled People
Section titled “Follow Disabled People”Social media: Follow disabled activists, creators, and thinkers on the platforms you use.
Podcasts: Disability After Dark, The Accessible Stall, Disability Visibility Podcast.
Publications: Disability Visibility Project, Rooted in Rights.
Organizations
Section titled “Organizations”- Centers for Independent Living: Community-based disability organizations. Find yours at ilru.org
- Disability Rights organizations: National and state-level
- Condition-specific organizations led by disabled people
Related Pages
Section titled “Related Pages”Foundations
Section titled “Foundations”- What Is Disability? — Understanding disability
- Language, Terminology & Identity — How to talk about disability
- Disability Culture — Understanding disability community
- Disability Models — Frameworks for understanding disability
Professional Toolkits
Section titled “Professional Toolkits”- Professional Toolkits Index — All professional guidance
- Educators Toolkit — For teachers and educational professionals
- Healthcare Providers Toolkit — For medical professionals
- Employers & HR Toolkit — For workplace support
- Social Workers Toolkit — For social service professionals
- Architects & Designers Toolkit — For accessible design
- Emergency Planners Toolkit — For emergency preparedness
- Public Safety Officers Toolkit — For law enforcement and first responders
Getting Involved
Section titled “Getting Involved”- Advocacy 101 — Starting your advocacy journey
- Policy Advocacy — Influencing policy
- Community Organizing — Building movements
- Accessible Protest Guide — Making activism accessible
Relationships & Safety
Section titled “Relationships & Safety”- Abuse, Safety & Consent — Recognizing and addressing harm
- Caregiving — Supporting disabled family members
- Parents of Disabled Children — For parents
Intersectionality
Section titled “Intersectionality”- Race & Disability — Understanding racial dimensions
- LGBTQ & Disability — Supporting queer/trans disabled people
- Poverty & Class — Economic barriers
Conditions (Understanding Specific Disabilities)
Section titled “Conditions (Understanding Specific Disabilities)”- Sensory Disabilities — Deaf, blind, and sensory differences
- Neurodivergence — Autism, ADHD, and neurological differences
- Chronic Illness — Understanding chronic conditions
- Psychiatric & Psychosocial Disability — Mental health disabilities
- Invisible Disabilities — Non-apparent disabilities
Contribute to This Page
Section titled “Contribute to This Page”Are you a disabled person with advice for allies? Have you seen allyship done well or badly? Have examples or resources to share?
This page centers disabled people’s expertise and is informed by disabled-led organizing globally. The best thing allies can do is listen to us. For questions or to suggest additions, see How to Contribute.