Demystifying Disability, Revised Edition: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally

by Emily Ladau

Now revised and expanded with a new preface, updated statistics, and information on how to navigate disability in a world impacted by COVID.

This approachable guide teaches you how to be a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do), and tips for creating a more accessible, inclusive world.

“A fantastic primer for improving your understanding of disability and ableism.”—NPR, Best Books of the Year, on the original edition

People with disabilities are the world’s largest minority, an estimated 16 percent of the global population. But many of us—disabled and nondisabled alike—don’t know how to act, what to say, or how to be an ally to the disability community. What are the appropriate ways to think, talk, and ask about disability? Now newly revised and expanded, this friendly handbook teaches you

Recognizing and avoiding ableism (discrimination toward disabled people)
Practicing good disability etiquette, including tips for navigating our post-pandemic world
Incorporating accessibility into your standard practice, from everyday communication to planning special events
Disability history and identity
Policy changes made by the Trump administration
Identifying and speaking up about disability stereotypes in media

Authored by celebrated disability rights advocate, speaker, and writer Emily Ladau, this practical, intersectional guide offers all readers a welcoming place to understand disability as part of the human experience.

208 pages, Spiral-bound

Published September 7, 2021

About the author

Emily Ladau is an internationally known disability rights activist, speaker, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally. She is the editor in chief of the Rooted in Rights blog, a platform dedicated to amplifying authentic narratives of the intersectional disability experience. She also co-hosts The Accessible Stall, a podcast about disability issues. Ladau’s writing has been published in outlets including the New York Times, HuffPost, CNN, Self, Salon, Vice, The Daily Beast, Variety, and Marie Claire Australia. Her work is also included in the Criptiques Anthology and About Us: Essays from the Disability Series of the New York Times. She has served as an expert source on disability issues for outlets including NPR, Vox, Washington Post, and Teen Vogue, and has been featured in a range of press outlets including Newsday, BuzzFeed, CBS News, and U.S. News & World Report.