Ask a Self-Advocate: The Similarity Between Racism and Ableism

People have been saying that there are two pandemics plaguing society: coronavirus and racism. Being a person of color with a disability, I have dealt with two pandemics my whole life. As a Black autistic man, I contend with the pandemics of racism and ableism on a daily basis. Racism and ableism are pandemics because they affect many parts of people’s lives and are detrimental to people’s health and well-being.

What is racism and how does it affect you?

Jevon, a young Black man, sits in MAC’s office in front of his desktop computer. He is facing the camera and wearing glasses with blue frames and a blue and gold striped short-sleeved polo shirt.

Racism is prejudiced and discriminatory attitudes and actions toward people based on their racial identity. As a Black man, I combat many negative stereotypes about African Americans, such as that Black people are uncultured and aggressive. These beliefs make me feel that I am inferior to White people and have to work twice as hard to succeed in life.

What is ableism and how does it affect you?

Ableism is prejudiced and discriminatory attitudes and actions toward people because they have a disability. As an autistic man, I struggle against the stigma of having a disability, such as that people with disabilities are unfit for society and people with autism lack empathy. These judgements make me believe that I am inferior to people without disabilities. As a person on the autism spectrum, I sometimes feel the need to defend my diagnosis by saying that I have lower support needs (or am “higher-functioning”), but this disparages those with higher support needs (or considered to have “lower-functioning autism”). This notion of functionality levels refers to an autistic person's ability to modify their behavior and adapt to the norms of a society that is not built for us.

How are racism and ableism connected?

Racism and ableism go hand-in-hand in many ways. For instance, a smaller percentage of Black and Latinx people are diagnosed with autism than their White counterparts. This means that autistic students of color are less likely to get proper Individualized Education Plans (IEP) that fit their needs. Even when autistic students of color get diagnosed, they are more likely to be placed in separate special education classrooms rather than general education ones. This results in these students not learning in the least restrictive environment. Also, racial profiling results in Blacks being stopped by police officers at a higher rate than Whites. Since cops see race before disability, they might perceive stimming and lack of eye-contact as threats. If I am ever stopped by the police, I would be scared. In my wallet, I carry an Autism Card that describes my condition, but if I pull it out in a panic, the police might think I am reaching for a weapon, which may have dire consequences for me.

Jevon Okundaye was the 2017-2018 Young Adult Leaders Fellow at MAC and returned while the office is working remotely. He will be writing blogs for MAC’s Race and Disability webpage. Jevon is a Black autistic young man. He graduated from Tufts University in 2019 with majors in Africana Studies and English. Jevon hopes this blog can teach people about the intersectionality of race and disability.