THE ANTI-ABLEIST MANIFESTO

A Taiwanese disability rights activist outlines the path to recognizing and improving the rights of her community.

Yu was just 9 when a car accident took her father’s life and left her with permanent right-arm paralysis. Battling consistent grief and post-traumatic stress disorder for two decades afterward, in an effort to “take control of and reclaim my narrative,” she became a staunch disability advocate. She has since channeled her experiences as a disabled person into a speaking engagement circuit, TED talks, and a popular “Anti-Ableism” series on TikTok. Organized in three sections, the book first focuses on clearly defining disability terminology (including the concept of ableism) and paths to overcoming privilege, shame, and the harm done by modern society’s misconceptions. This is followed by discussions on how to interact within communities and in personal relationships with an anti-ableist mindset to intervene and counteract denigrating, micro-aggressive behaviors and promote sensitivity and inclusiveness. A final section details how we can participate in changing stigma and oppressive societal attitudes toward the disabled community and in creating positive, equitable, and inclusive solutions, such as advocating for improved accessibility to public spaces, expanded job opportunities, and a lower “disability tax” (the cost of items necessary for disabled people to navigate the world). Yu offers an impressive barrage of simple strategies, proactive tools, and action items to aid readers in becoming better allies to people with both apparent and nonapparent disabilities, and she includes “reflection questions” at the conclusion of each chapter. Perhaps the most useful and effective section in the book details how readers can make active, consistent contributions to demarginalizing disabled populations through awareness and civic and social engagement. In this universal appeal for societal change, Yu convincingly bridges the gap between those already sensitive to the disabled and those with lessons yet to learn.

A practical, educative guide to empowering and respectfully approaching people with disabilities.