Ableism Isn’t “Semantics” — It’s Harm.
Ableism Isn’t “Semantics” — It’s Harm.
Being an advocate really gets people's backs up, asking for kindness seems to be the new target as people freely enable abuse and harm and name call, be bitter and get personal; defend that but get abusive and mad when someone asks for basic respect.
The amount of hypocrisy and lack of accountability is atrocious.
I was kindly explaining ableism recently, (wanting people to stop comparing struggles as a means to ridicule, belittle, query or just be outright awful about others different struggles.) and I became a target of people who failed to fact check, gain clarification and just said the most personal and derogatory things whilst simultaneously agreeing with me without even realising it, and others were outright ableist. Period.
I don't use that word lightly - ableism. It's a legitimate form of abuse and needs challenging.
All struggles are valid. 💯
One of the worst comments I've come across, and I've legitimately blocked people, from one of the online #neurodivergent communities, is this one: (posted).
Invalidating my CPTSD and struggles (exactly what I was referring to - i.e belittling and invalidating another disabled person's experience) and trying to justify it and claim I'm "entitled."
Lovely, let me put it plainly, I breath and it is agony, I have to find my own pain management and everything I do helps children, adults, families and communities. Literally everything.
But I want to put this out there because people need to be better and do better and if they can't then it's simple.
Stfu.
Silence is better than harm, especially if you're incapable of being helpful.
I didn't get chatGPT to fix my wording on this for better understanding so misunderstand at your own peril. I'm AuDHD and clarification is key.
Sarah Wingfield ❤️
Independent Disability Advocate
#disabilityinclusion #strongertogether #disability #disabilityawareness #disabilitysupport #disabilityrights
Image 1 Alt Text
A screenshot of a Facebook comment thread. Sarah Wingfield comments: “If you can’t be helpful Lisa, don’t be harmful 🙏🏻.” Lisa Jane replies dismissively, saying “Ableism lol” and argues that caregivers of severely autistic people deal with “real problems” and accuses Sarah of sounding privileged. The tone is confrontational and invalidating.
Image 2 Alt Text
A continuation of the Facebook thread showing Sarah Wingfield’s detailed response. She explains that ableism is about real harm, not semantics, and that disabled people can still be dismissed or spoken over. She states she is disabled, an advocate, and speaks from lived experience, not privilege. The tone is firm, assertive, and grounded.
Image 3 Alt Text
The final part of Sarah Wingfield’s response in the thread. She emphasises that struggle is not a competition and that supporting one disabled group should not come at the expense of another. She acknowledges caregiving is difficult but says it does not justify invalidating others. She sets a boundary, stating she will step back from the conversation, ending with hashtags related to disability advocacy.
