Understanding oppression

Understanding that people with disabilities experience oppression is absolutely essential in the context of libraries and information agencies. A necessary part of providing effective information services is understanding the inequalities which have shaped our society, our attitudes, and our institutions.

The nature of oppression is that it is propagated by complacency. People with privilege – in this case, people who do not have disabilities – must examine and challenge our own problematic attitudes if we want to be part of the solution to oppression, not part of the problem.

We may mean well, but as people who have not experienced ableist oppression, unexamined ableist attitudes can still worm their way into our interactions. These microaggressions (“Ability,” n.d.) can make people with disabilities feel belittled and unsafe, and it is essential for libraries to be maintained as safe spaces for the pursuit of information and services. The hostile environment created by prevailing ableist attitudes in any institution, especially by the professionals working there, will make people less willing to seek assistance there, or less convinced that there is real assistance to be had. This has a chilling effect on access.

In working with people with disabilities as an information professional, I will strive to learn about ableism in our society, examine my own attitudes, and work to disassemble attitudes that are problematic. I will resist any temptation to dismiss the concerns of people with disabilities and their allies (and strive to be an ally myself); I will listen and consider. I will work to ensure that the services and resources I provide are inclusive and helpful for people with disabilities and other oppressed groups.

References

Ability. (n.d.). The Microaggressions Project. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://microaggressions.com/tagged/ability