Not All Disabled People are Unemployed

Not all disabled people are unemployed. That statement sometimes surprises people, but it shouldn't.

There's a belief that disabled people don't work. A stigma that we are 'benefit scroungers'. We are not. Most disabled people would love to work. We'd love the community, the job and the independence among other things.

First of all let me say that if you don't work, that is perfectly fine. I don't work, because I can't. My illnesses mean my legs couldn't keep up with a physical job, like I used to do. My hands cramp and spasm after using them for more than a couple of minutes meaning I couldn't do a desk job, my migraines, fatigue and vertigo mean that I can't always sit up, be in a well lit room, concentrate or stay awake.

It's important to note that the stigma comes from ableism. The level of ableism that society is currently functioning at stems from hundreds of years ago, when disabled people simply died because of improper care, or were hidden away from view. It's made so much worse by the media. Media like newspapers, chat shows, celebrities, influencers, websites spreading incorrect information about how the benefit system works; or assuming that there's only one way to be disabled, or telling people their opinion about disabled people based on… nothing.

The reason that some disabled people don't work is because workplaces are not accessible for us. Some try to be accessible; put a ramp in and think that's it, they've fixed it. There is so much more to accessibility.

Being accessible means being wheelchair friendly, friendly to people with limited mobility, having assistance available, having facilities for blind and deaf people, being autism friendly, allowing assistance animals and having facilities for them; allowing extra time, or extra space and so much more. There are so many things workplaces can do to become accessible. Places should have mandatory requirements for accessibility in the workplace and for employees to be disability aware; this would make it so much easier for disabled people. The bare minimum every workplace should do is to consult disabled people, talk to us, act on advice and criticism from people with lived experience. If a disabled person comes to your work and tells you that it's inaccessible, ask what needs to change. Even after receiving advice on what places can do to change, some places decide it's not worth it, or they don't want a disabled person anyway, or the changes needed would be too expensive. That comes from disabled people being seen as less than, or not as worthy, not as productive or valuable; which is utter rubbish. 

Because of the barriers we face, we tend to do other types of jobs. Jobs we can do from home, or online, or freelance. Many disabled people that I know are speakers, bloggers and educators. We spend time educating other people on our lives and how they are affected by everyday inaccessibility. I've also met people who start their own businesses, some disability related. From lived experience, they realised there was a product or service that was missing and would have helped them. So they decided to create that change for themselves and others like them.

There are millions of disabled people living in the UK, billions all over the world. If 'normal' jobs were accessible, that's millions and billions of people who could work; because most of us want to work.

While I don't do paid work, I use my time to create my blog, advocate for disability rights as well as size inclusivity on social media. I am also an ambassador for Sociability; an app that maps the whole of the UK for accessibility. It's basically google maps, but the information's actually accurate. I also create gemstone jewellery, and sell it at local events. I'm creative, I love gemstones, it gets me out of the house, and I get to meet people.

Imagine the difference we could make if we were given the chance. You should see us for our talent, and our personality, creativity, not just our disability.