It’s a privilege to have a PH.D. A thread...

Ableism and racism, queerphobia, and more continue to be rampant in this country. And yet, higher education cares more about the comfort and learning of non-disabled people. It considers disability to be “too expensive” and doesn’t actually care. How?

Some places will say that they want to support disabled students but then only do the bare minimum while the institution imposes persistent demands for the disabled student to always accommodate others, but if the student needs accessibility, it’s always seen as a hassle.

And yet, the fact of the matter is that if an autistic person asks for empathy from folks in power that create hegemonic structures in academia, we’re typically assumed to “lack empathy”, even though relationships are a two-way street with empathy.

There is the double empathy conundrum by Damian Milton, which is an important research article. If I ask someone in an authority position to respect my autonomy, often times I am told by that person in that hierarchical position that my autonomy doesn’t matter.

I am told this indirectly even if they aren’t directly saying it, it is still implied. And yet human beings who are in the psychology profession still struggle with grasping human development and human growth.

This is a call out. It’s a call out because it’s #BlackHistoryMonth and I was asked to address my own biases this month. I am glad I was. I am calling out on folks but it would be hypocritical of me to say that I’ve never been ableist to someone or racist to someone.

People need to start listening to marginalized disabled people at colleges and universities. The work isn’t done. It won’t be done. You’ll be unlearning these things, like I am, for the rest of your life.

Non-white folk matter and this country has continued to perpetuate harm not only in the workplace, but also in academia. Decentering yourselves is key, but also activism will help change things.

I am really trying to internally work on my own biases. There are many resources folks have provided out there for you. Take them in and learn them and do better.

To whoever needed to hear this today: just because you are not a fascist doesn’t mean you are absolved of racism in your own life. Or ableism, period.