03/12/2025
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we’re reminded that inclusion isn’t a gesture , it’s a mindset shaped by how we speak, design, and relate to one another.
For many persons with disabilities, the deepest impact isn’t always from the disability itself, but from the emotional strain of being overlooked, spoken over, or treated as less capable.
Today invites us to slow down and check our assumptions.
To replace “inspiration” narratives with real respect.
To build spaces that meet people where they are, not where society expects them to be.
💛 Inclusion becomes real through everyday actions:
• Choosing venues with ramps, lifts, and quiet spaces
• Using person-first or identity-affirming language based on what the individual prefers
• Asking, “What support works best for you?” rather than guessing
• Making conversations, decisions, and opportunities accessible to everyone
Reference:
Tough, H., Siegrist, J., & Fekete, C. (2017). Social relationships, mental health and wellbeing in physical disability: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 17(1), 414. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4308-6
