There’s a clearly traceable pattern of hearing supremacy and ownership when hearing folks teach BSL (incorrectly) and then block deaf folks for pointing it out and asking them to stop. Happens a lot.

It exudes charity model disability thinking and it’s so harmful. https://twitter.com/liamodelluk/status/1386023257086861316

This model of thinking positions you as the one with the power & that the recipients of your charity & goodwill should be grateful, & that it therefore can’t be harmful because it’s well-intentioned.

Any activism is done for someone, not with them, & will actively exclude them.

Raising awareness is excellent and always needed. How you do that is where good reflection and understanding your position is needed.

I think a lot about this in Accessibility in libraries - how we do advocacy but also how we train and support colleagues.

We have to be able to recognise where advocacy itself becomes part of the disabling system. Where it’s done without and to the exclusion of disabled folks.

We need to develop a cultural maturity to cope with disabled folks calling us out (or in) on ableism. I’m working on this.

I can only speak for myself here, but it’s also super important for folks with a marginalised identity to recognise an affinity in the marginalisation but then resist acting as if that negates any harm you cause to other marginalised identities, or pretend you can’t cause harm.

I’m always learning (and fail regularly). Allyship (which is a complex & problematic term) needs to stand with folks, not in front of.

One of the best sessions I’ve ever done was accessible social media co-run with @lifeofablindgrl. I never want to run that session without you! https://twitter.com/thomaspeachlib/status/1169652877138235392