Seeing some brilliant thoughts on microaggressions in academia, so thought I would list some I’ve noticed against disabled scholars #AcademicAbleism

(It’s important to say that academia purposely keeps disabled Black and brown scholars out, but they face the further marginality of being racialized and disabled. I am speaking as a white fat queer femme.) #AcademicAbleism

1. Demanding eye contact in classes, workshops, and meetings
2. Announcing drastic scheduling changes during in-person class and nowhere else.
3. Points off for not citing [insert abled man theorist here] #AcademicAbleism

4. micromanaging of a conference organized and run by and for disabled scholars.
5. Dumping administrative labor with tight deadlines onto disabled scholars
6. Claiming disabled scholars’ access needs give them unfair advantage #AcademicAbleism

7. Discounting non-text citations, e.g. podcasts, videos
8. Encouraging scholars with psychiatric disabilities to drop out
9. Required attendance policies #AcademicAbleism

10. Getting non-disabled scholars with less experience to talk disability at the disability panel
11. Disbelieving and gaslighting disabled scholars’ accounts of harrassment
12. Calling disabled scholars “difficult” or “high-maintenance” #AcademicAbleism

13. Encouraging some disabled scholars to mask or attempt to “pass” as non-disabled
14. Webinars with no captioning
15. Seminars scheduled in crowded rooms with not enough seating or space for wheelchairs #AcademicAbleism

16. Keeping heavy doors closed in academic buildings
17. One elevator for many floors
18. Disability Services demanding a phone call to talk about accommodations #AcademicAbleism

19. Early-morning meetings
20. Evening meetings
21. Mandatory attendance at meetings
22. No captions? Did I say this already?
#AcademicAbleism

23. When bringing up accessibility, exasperated colleagues say, “it’s not *about* accessibility”
24. Disability Services only exist for students
25. Disability Services ignore your requests because you’ve asked for too much
#AcademicAbleism

26. Conferences without free accessible transportation
27. Inaccessible conference websites
28. Crappy slideshows with no color contrast
#AcademicAbleism

29. No microphones for panels
30. Student Affairs refusing to pay for ADA-mandated event protocols by ignoring your emails/calls
31. CCing the one disabled scholar in the department to advise on an event
#AcademicAbleism

32. Not paying for access consulting
33. Sitting in the seat labeled “Reserved by Disability Services”
34. Food with no allergen information
#AcademicAbleism

35. Asking disabled scholars if they’ve read [insert book by autism parent here]
36. No visibly disabled people anywhere in department/college
37. Derailing conversations about access
#AcademicAbleism

38. Describing disabled scholars as “angry”
39. Reimbursement turnaround times and deadlines
40. Reimbursement request denials
#AcademicAbleism