This article on The Conversation mentions disability, but only insofar as it’s a protected status; it’s technically illegal to discriminate against us. I say technically because we all know how common it is to be on the receiving end of discrimination in the workplace.
A common refrain will be that you should work for yourself if you can’t work a traditional job due to disability. And many do. But like most things, the realities get overlooked.
In The Conversation piece, it talks about how HARD it is to work for yourself. If freelancing is considered exhausting for non-disabled people, consider the task load you’re asking people to take on in working for themselves… especially when taking care of yourself is already a full time job on its own.
People who can work (not all people with a disability can work) should be supported to work for an employer or for themselves (or both, if a combination is your preference like it is for me). It shouldn’t be the message I’ve received from corporates time and time again, which is “ugh we don’t want to think about an icky disabled, work for yourself so we don’t have to change a thing about us”. Because remember, merely learning you exist is unreasonable to many.
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