40 Big Ideas
12. Self-Advocacy Movement
Our movement is about speaking up. It is about human rights. It is about helping others with intellectual disability (ID) speak up. Throughout history, people did not even see us as human beings. That changed only when self-advocates took charge, demanding a say in our own lives. We often sum it up this way: We want what you’ve got. The same opportunities, the same respect, and the same chance to build the life we choose.
Our movement is about speaking up—speaking up to empower who we are—and that includes having a disability. It is about human rights, and it is happening all over the world. It is not just about us speaking up for ourselves; we also help others with intellectual disability (ID)speak up.
When people with disabilities join our movement, they realize they are not alone. Meeting peers who face the same challenges creates a safe atmosphere where we can express ourselves without being judged. We have each other's backs, so we feel brave enough to speak up. Being part of the movement and connecting with our peers helps us build confidence to make big decisions in our lives.
Sometimes, advice from people without disabilities can feel too controlling or biased, whereas advice from a peer is more direct and truthful. Peer support builds friendships, and sometimes, those friendships become family. Not all people with disabilities have a family or are accepted by their family. Self-advocacy helps us feel like we are part of a family—a chosen family.
Throughout history, people did not even see us as human beings. That began to change only when self-advocates took charge, demanding a seat at the table and a say in our own lives. We often sum it up in one simple phrase: We want what you’ve got. The same opportunities, the same respect, and the same chance to build the life we choose.
At first, a lot of us had to figure out on our own how to speak up. Now, more people with ID have the opportunity to learn from leaders about how to speak up and be included. Watching peers be leaders helps me (Max) recognize my strengths and gives me confidence.
Together, we must keep learning from each other. We cannot take our rights for granted. Ableism is alive and well—we need each other to know how to deal with it. Some people believe we have come a long way and will always be included, but those privileges can disappear. We could easily go back to the days when others segregated us, dismissed us, and did not see our intelligence.
In disability advocacy, we often fight to be more than token committee members. We find more genuine leadership opportunities when we broaden our focus and work with other social justice movements. We count as much as everyone else as we fight for social justice, and our issues become everyone’s issues.
Inclusion is not just being present—we have to feel like we belong. When you belong, you get the support you need. When you belong, people care about you. When you belong, others take the time to make sure you understand what is being discussed. When you belong, you are hired to work on or lead a project, not just asked repeatedly to serve on advisory committees.
In the Self-Advocacy Movement, everyone is welcome and belongs. Self-advocates say, “We don’t care how different we are—we like it that way.” We celebrate each other as we work to make our community better for all of us. After all, how can you get the life you want if someone else decides what that is?