Calling out ableism online : By Elizza Cussen

'Ableism' may be a relative newcomer in the curriculum of social literacy in Australia, but Eliza Cussen feels it should still be called out, especially online.

Discrimination - by any name - is not cool.


*Ableism: discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities

As a Woman of the Internet I spend a lot of my time explaining things. What's sexist and what's not. What's not OK about throwing salami at your Prime Minister. Why I won't go on a date with you if all you say to me is ";)".

On one particular day, a Monday of course, I grew weary of this and tweeted, "It's like the internet is a bus and there's always a spare seat next to me".

One follower helpfully replied with, "I never get people sitting next to me. I pretend I have Tourette's. Scares them right off."

He seemed to be on a streak and made a few more hilarious gags about all the inappropriate words he shouts at strangers on public transport. I could practically hear his chuckling through the fibre optic cables.


There was one problem. I have Tourette syndrome. I tic on buses daily, almost always inspiring sideways glances from my fellow passengers.

The follower didn't know this about me. He didn't mean to offend, but he did. It took me a moment to process that this guy was saying that people with Tourette syndrome are weird and scary and to be avoided. It took me another moment for me to realise he was talking about me. There was the echo of the humiliation and exclusion I'd felt since I was nine.

I didn't feel angry. I just sighed a particular sigh I set aside for times like these. I asked him if he has Tourette syndrome. He said no. I told him to lay off the Tourette's jokes and sent him an article I wrote about my condition.

To this guy's credit he read the whole thing and apologised. He told me he felt dirty and was supremely sorry. I could see that he was confronted by his own ableism, probably for the first time. I told him it was no big deal and that I'm not overly precious. No harm done.

Telling bad jokes is one of the ways I make my living. At some stage, online or off, I'm sure I've delivered a one-liner that crossed over into an 'ism'. I'm sure at some point I've been racist. Homophobic probably. Sexist maybe. Ableist too, especially before I started working in disability. But when that happens, I expect to be called out on it. I expect you to tell me firmly and loudly that what I've said is not cool.

Unlike sexism and racism, ableism has had much less time to get itself noticed. It is far down the curriculum of social literacy, especially in Australia. When we encounter ableism, feelings of outrage, aggression and even hopelessness are natural reactions. Feel those feelings. Let the fire be fueled. Then take a breath.

Remember that naivety is not an excuse but it is an explanation. Remember that, sadly, you might be the first person to talk openly and frankly about disability with this person. It's not our duty to educate people. But it would help everyone if we gave it a try.

I have a draft email saved which explains to new colleagues why they might hear clicking, clapping or what they could safely assume is the cry of a baby pterodactyl coming from my cubicle. Online though, it's unlikely to be something you find out about me. Often, the first time people hear about my Tourette's is when I'm correcting them about it.

Here's my five step guide to calling out small-time ableism online. Big-time ableism, the stuff that sees you actively discriminated against, should be taken to the Human Rights Commission.

1. Stay calm By default you have the moral high ground. Keep it at all costs. Feel your outrage and your pain but don't show them first off. Assume the best of the person you're engaging with and be gentle.


2. Find out if they're in the club :Only a crip can call another crip a crip. They might be making an attempt at an in joke.

3. Introduce yourself :"I'm Eliza and I have Tourette syndrome. No, I only swear intentionally. It's nice to meet you." Remember that behind every Twitter handle or Facebook profile picture is a real person. Talk to them as though you're sharing a table at a coffee shop.


4. Inform  : Especially if your disability springs from something obscure, have a link handy to send to them for light reading. Answer questions. Be open. If necessary, explain the basics of why no one should be made to feel weird and scary because of their disabilities. Remember, there are people who would rather buy a second coffee each day than pay the NDIS levy. Disability literacy is low.

5. Know when to disengage : There's just no helping some people. For others, it just takes too much time. If you're not seeing personal growth in your combatant during the conversation, your time is better spent making a cup of tea. If the person gets nasty or too personal, back away. Like any good party, the trick is knowing when to leave.

Eliza Cussen is an emerging creative writer based in Sydney. By day she is the Online Communications Coordinator at Media Access Australia. Views expressed here are her own. You can follow her on Twitter.

Source : ABC Net , 12th June 2013