How adults with cerebral palsy successfully confront and cope with ableism: a peer-led research project

This study focused on how adults with cerebral palsy successfully confronted ableism during encounters with others and successfully coped with ableism in general.

Adults with cerebral palsy led this critical participatory action research project, in which ten adults with cerebral palsy shared their experiences (via an online survey or interview) of successfully confronting ableism (situations, actions taken, and outcomes) and coping with ableism.

Participants had difficulty recalling successful confrontations due to failing to recognise ableism, ignoring it, or being unsure whether confrontations were successful. Of the 23 situations described, common forms of ableism were denial of privacy, perceived helplessness, and spread effect. Actions taken in successful confrontations were educating perpetrators, being independent, self-advocating or requesting advocacy, attempting to make perpetrators feel uncomfortable, and disengaging with perpetrators (and encouraging others to do similar). Outcomes were changed perpetrator behaviour, apparent changed perpetrator perceptions, actions to prevent recurrence of ableism, disengagement, changed thinking, and feeling successful. Adults coped with ableism through changing their own thinking about disability and ableism, engaging in everyday activities, seeking social support, and making efforts to change society.

Harnessing this knowledge may assist people with cerebral palsy to challenge the social oppression they face.