"Identify as having a disability"

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

Doing a form filling for a visa.

"Do you identify as having a disability?"

Surely disability is a measurable, quantifiable factor in someone's life? You either have a disability, or you do not. What does "indentify as" mean?

Lots of deaf people wouldn’t consider themselves disabled, even though most of the hearing world would describe them as such.

Maybe that’s the sort of thing it’s getting at?

I have met children for whome I (and others) consider to have a disability but their family don,t . Some people on the Autistic spectrum don,t consider themselves to have a disability.

Apparently self-id is a core part of the disability sector now. A little while ago I posted that my disabled partner was offended that he was asked by a council worker if he identified as disabled. He has a condition that means without medical intervention he would likely be involuntarily institutionalised, or dead.
Someone on here who self-identified as having cognitive impairment was very cross with me (and by extension, my partner) for questioning the self-identify language. Questioning it is unfair on those who don't have a medical diagnosis. They are just as entitled to be regarded as disabled as those who would not be able to survive without intervention, like my partner.

No, as PPs have pointed out. Also the legislation is quite vague too. I can't quote verbatim but the EA says it must have an effect on your abilities to carry out day to day activities. Some people will have support and aids that they see as enabling them to do these things, whereas others might still view themselves as disabled. Having a diagnosis of cancer at any point automatically qualifies you as disabled under the EA too, I dont know many people with cancer or who are long out of treatment who would tick the disabled box unless theyd been left with long term issues.

Interesting.

Agree with the points raised - not all impairments or challenges are regraded disabilities by people. But, they are all conditions which require accommodations or provisions in order to ensure inclusion of that population.

Self ID seems a bit odd to me - it doesn't further inclusion. Does it?

Here it is more not whether you have the disability but whether you choose to disclose that information or not. Otherwise, if you have a disability and the box simply said, do you have a disability? You would be forced to disclose personal medical information which is not legal. The box is worded “do you identify...” so that you can say no, even if you have a disability but wish to exercise your right not to disclose it.

some of us are on the waiting list for assessment and identify as probably being disabled (aspie)

I have a condition that effects my quality of life and ability to get stuff done, so long term, effects everyday life, but feel that one is not a disability. (hsd/eds)

people have conditions that gradually worsen, so when do they see themselves as disabled as opposed to not being.

“But, they are all conditions which require accommodations or provisions in order to ensure inclusion of that population.”

They might, they might not...

It’s on the form my customers fill in, what I find is that they only disclose disabilities that would require me to make adjustments.. if there’s nothing needed to access my service, they tick no.

Which is what it’s there for, to be fair.

From memory there are only a couple of conditions that automatically register as a disability other than those it is down to the individual bro determine how much a condition impacts on their day to day life.

So 2.people.with the same condition, 1 person might identify as having a disability while the 2nd doesn't.

I have an autism diagnosis .

I'm classed as having a disability medically, however I don't identify as having one.

It's complicated. I have an eye condition which untreated means I lose a lot of my vision, but with treatment I'm usually fine and dandy.

It's good that's it counts as a disability under the Equality Act, because I do need to go to medical appointments for treatment every few months during work hours and if I have to tick a box on a form at work I will tick that I have a disability to avoid confusion.

But do I really see myself as disabled person when I am absolutely fine most of the time? Not really, and I wouldn't dare take up opportunities at work which are aimed at improving opportunities for disabled workers.

It can take a long time for people with acquired disabilities to identify as disabled. As above many Deaf people consider themselves a linguistic minority.

Deafness is interesting as broadly deaf people fall into two camps, sign languaging users who are proud of their deaf identity and use the term Deaf (Or big 'd' deaf) . There is debate as to whether the hearing child of deaf parents is culturally deaf.

The other broad group are people with some hearing who identify as hearing but with a hearing impairment, so people like my dad who uses hearing aids but communicates orally.

There are situations where someone is disabled or more disabled so if you are severely dyslexic you may be considered to have a disability when you are at school in classes where you have to write but not disabled on the football team or in the swimming pool.

This is an interesting discussion. I suppose that I do identify as disabled sometimes and not others. I have a hearing impairment and wear an aid (which you can't see because it's covered by my hair).

For example, if I'm applying for a job I never tick the box to say that I have a disability. I don't want to get an interview due to this rather than experience/ability and then not get the job because, in my line of work, I need to be able to easily communicate and socialise, which I can do with my hearing aid. And I wouldn't want to get an opportunity that someone who is more disabled than me could benefit from.

On the other hand, I get cheap train travel with my disabled person's railcard and would spend an absolute fortune getting to work every week if I didn't use it!

I've never really considered the politics of this, but as this is a disability aquired in my 20s, it took me a long time to get used to the idea that I actually had one. Now I'm more open to telling people and using the support that is there when I need/want.

One main reason people are asked if they wish to disclose is that providers have a duty under the Equalities Act to comply with the law for disabled people. If you choose to request those protections then the legal definition of disability is a specific, quantified thing, with then clear instructions for what is expected of providers such as equality of access, ensuring no less favourable treatment on grounds of disability, and reasonable adjustments. The word 'reasonable' is relevant: things like capacity, budget and needs of other service users are balanced with those possible adjustments, and it is possible to demonstrate when a service is not able to meet a particular need.

The difference is that if you chose to request those legal protections, identifying as disabled when the situation would not stand up to the quantified definition, would not get you very far. Doctors records, medical notes, medical examinations etc would be involved.

I wish the Equality Act dealt with gender reassignment in the same way.

Yes, Spartacus, I have seen that - "do you consider yourself to be".

Someone could have a condition/disadvantage/illness which impacts on their life in a way which causes difficulties, or in a way which does not.

"Identify as" is a bit less tangible - though, my bias around "are internal feelings as an identity?" is probably showing.

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. Really interesting.

Here it is more not whether you have the disability but whether you choose to disclose that information or not.

Yes, I sometimes fill out forms that ask me if I identify as black/aboriginal/Acadian, in order to be considered for affirmative action consideration.

I'm not really crazy about the language though, in these instances or in cases where people might have some condition that requires accommodation. I think that given the way that language has come to be understood and used, it creates questionable implications.

I’ve wondered about that too op..

I have MS which is a disability but sometimes I feel fine and sometimes I really don’t so it depends which day the form catches me on!

I know lots of people who are IRL disabled but according to PIP assessors entirely able bodied, despite what their consultants and common sense would tell you.

We'll probably end up with everyone with an actual disability saying that they don't, because people with actual disabilities just want to get on with their lives, not be treated as perma victims.

I have a few diagnoses and am sometimes classed as having a disability, but I don't 'identify' as having a disability because I don't want to be this perma victim who gets looked down on and pitied. I know a lot of people like this.

People are now 'identifying' as having autism by self diagnosis. The selfishness of that to me is staggering. They are harming people who are diagnosed with autism, especially people who are severely autistic. It's just yet another problem with identity politics.

I have a heart condition, means I can't walk far, or stand for long. I have never considered myself disabled, I can just about get on with things otherwise...

I would love to "identify as disabled" if it meant the chance of a seat at an airport security line for instance. But there are lots of people in the same boat as me, so would think that this could "dilute" things to a very great degree, get people taking advantage - when everyone identifies as disabled - what then ...

It's because the legal definition of disabled is variable. You can look at the Equalities Act, but even a doctor, for most issues which are pretty clearly a disability, can only say they believe their patient's situation means that are likely to be classed as a disability. It can only be confirmed in a court of law, for example during litigation around discrimination at work. For the majority of disabled people, they wouldn't ever go near a court.

Disability badges for parking etc, only cover a fairly small section of disabled people, just like disability benefits, so these are not a useful way of determining who is disabled.

There are also issues that disabled people sometimes take a long time before they and their families are prepared to admit they are disabled, especially if they were not in the past. It involves an acceptance that the 'old you' is not coming back, and a grieving process. It took me years to admit I needed the help, and I still hate having to say I need a chair, or help, or a wheelchair at the airport. What's really annoying now I've eventually got to the place of being able to ask for help rather than pushing on and damaging myself, is that because I am youngish and often don't have obvious signs, people will argue with me and say I can't be disabled.

'They' have to ask the question and I can't think of a better way to do it. Its been used for years, afaik way before the term started to be used by other groups.
I was offended the first time I was asked this, because I don't identify as disabled, I just am. But then I realised that there is no official register of disabled people and no way to formally separate the disabled from the able bodied, and especially not one that would include people waiting for a diagnosis.
(Thank God, because the way things are going a formal register would be a really bad idea.)

I have several linked health conditions that do mean that I have disabilities. However, I don't think of myself as being disabled, despite finding activities of daily life hard.

I just get on doing what I can because I'm scared to get into the mindset of "I have a disability" but that's just me and how I choose to deal with it. I would rather try and block it out than acknowledge it.

It’s difficult.

Technically I meet the criteria under the EA to refer to myself as disabled - but I struggle to use the term, as I look completely healthy / “normal” and if you call yourself disabled you get that look.

whether I would say I identify as disabled would depend on the context - I wouldn’t say yes unless it was for something I’d require adjustments for or protection under the law.