Speaking Up Against Ableism
By Liel Bridgford [2 min read] - the following piece was first published by Powerd Media.
I get this nauseous, anxious feeling in my gut every time I speak up against ableism. Speaking up comes with a price, so we must sustain our efforts of disrupting the ableist status quo.
I use the five R’s of speaking up to help look after my physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing, and hope you might find it useful.
1) Readiness - make sure you’re ready by understanding ableism and yourself better.
Research ableism to understand it better, and think about the spaces you may want to speak up at. Acknowledge that some of these may not be safe enough to do so.
Make sure you’re ready by understanding your own triggers and physical reactions. Get to know your physical, emotional and psychological reaction when noticing ableism.
Being ready also means regularly looking after our nervous system to facilitate our resilience and insight that enables us to speak up. This might include meditation, rest, or movement.
2) Reaction - when coming across ableism, curiously notice your reaction. Try noticing your feelings, thoughts, urges and memories before acting. Our bodies constantly give us information about what is important and safe for us.
Consider your emotional safety by checking your reaction. If you’re feeling annoyed and your mind is trying to come up with solutions, you might find it manageable to raise the issue. If you are feeling overwhelmed, or triggered into a fight, flight, freeze or appease response, seek safety and emotional regulation first. Try a simple breathing or grounding exercise before considering speaking up.
3) Receiver - considering the receiver is crucial when protecting our own wellbeing in the process of speaking up.
Think about the person, group or organisation that will be the receiver of your message to assess how safe it is for you to speak up.
Ask yourself about how well you know the person, how might they respond to being challenged, and which settings you are in.
Try to find allies in the room and if none exist, add this to your decision making. Speaking up without an ally around can be more emotionally and physically taxing than when support is available.
If you feel threatened in any way, seek safety first.
4) Recover - Whether we speak up or not, witnessing ableism is often uncomfortable, scary or even triggering. After the event or when it’s safe to take a break, take time to care for yourself.
Check in with yourself about your reaction and try to notice what you need. A small act of self-compassion can be the first step, such as sitting outside or a hot drink while listening to your favourite track.
5) Reach out - It is often useful to connect with others after witnessing ableism and speaking up.
Sharing the load of injustice can help us remain feeling connected and hopeful, which ultimately sustain us in our advocacy efforts.
Liel Bridgford
Psychologist | Writer | Educator
Kultivate Founder & Director
