Benevolent Ableism: Why “Helping” is Not Always Helpful

An action or attitude that occurs when you mean well and offer your help to a person with a disability — without considering their actual needs or asking them first —  is benevolent ableism. Sometimes, helping isn’t actually helpful. More often than not, these seemingly “good-natured” behaviors feed into stigmas that people with disabilities aren’t as “able” as everyone else.

Benevolent ableism is a microaggression that plays into the stigma of people with disabilities needing help. The “helper” unintentionally makes the person they are “helping” feel disempowered, segregated, and as if they are unable to make their own decisions.

Man in wheelchair crossing street.

Examples of benevolent ableism can be anything from pushing someone in a wheelchair without asking if they want or need your assistance to overly praising an individual with a disability for completing a simple task. 

The easiest way to change these behaviors is to embrace inclusion and treat all individuals like equals, disability or not. People with disabilities are people, first. So, treat them as you’d like to be treated, and before helping, think through whether you are actually helping or feeding into benevolent ableism. Check out the resources below for more information.

Benevolent Ableism exists, and here is what you need to know about it. 

Benevolent Ableism: when help isn't helping. 

What is the relationship between disability employment and ableism?