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Daily Life | Disability | Uncategorized | Work
As a higher education disability services provider, I spend a lot of time talking to young adults about the importance of self-advocacy. Most of the students I support are traditional college-aged individuals who, having only recently entered adulthood, have limited experience advocating for themselves. The thought of doing so can be daunting, but it is a critical skill for everyone with a disability to develop.
Self-advocacy entails recognizing your needs, understanding your rights, and seeking appropriate support as needed. Sometimes, self-advocacy occurs during a formal process, such as when you are requesting accommodations for college or work. However, self-advocacy is equally important in less formal settings, like when you need access to a restroom out in public or when you need to say “no” to the dessert your friend made.
The first step to becoming a strong self-advocate is understanding yourself and your unique needs. Take time to reflect on how your condition and any comorbidities impact your daily life. Identify barriers you face in different areas of life. For instance, perhaps your urgency makes it difficult for you to sit in long meetings, or your fatigue limits the times you are fully alert for extended periods of time. Recognize the large and small ways in which your condition impacts your work, academics, and everyday activities, and practice articulating this clearly. This self-awareness is the foundation for effective advocacy.
The second step to being a good self-advocate is knowing your rights. If you live in the United States, you are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and requires employers and schools to provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. I discuss the ADA in more detail in my blogs Disability in the Workplace and Applying for Reasonable Accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is important to remember that you need to initiate a request for accommodations by disclosing your condition to your school or your employer. Since accommodations cannot be made retroactively, it is best to begin this process before your condition impacts your performance.
Depending on where you live, there might be additional laws protecting you. For instance, some states have the Bathroom Access Act. This law requires public places to provide people with medical conditions access to bathrooms, even if they are designated for employees only. This specific law has been a lifesaver to me on countless occasions. Whenever I travel, I check to see if the state I am going to has passed the Bathroom Access Act. I needed to advocate for myself under this law on a business trip I took to Maine last year. It was much easier than I anticipated. I simply explained to a restaurant staff member that I required restroom access for medical reasons, and they immediately granted it without question.
The third key to self-advocacy is knowing when and how to advocate for yourself. When making a request, it is important to remain calm and avoid jumping to conclusions about how the recipient will react. You may have encountered people in the past who did not understand your condition or needs. As frustrating and traumatizing as these experiences are, you should avoid letting them impact how you interact with people upon your initial request. Speaking in a respectful and clear manner helps ensure everyone is on the same page and reduces the chance of unnecessary conflict or misunderstanding.
Self-advocacy is not just about expressing your needs. It often requires listening to the person receiving the request. This is especially important in formal settings where procedures and policies must be followed. In my role, I must follow specific procedures when granting students accommodations. For example, I may need to request documentation to determine eligibility for a medical single (a single dormitory room), or, in cases like with flexible attendance requests, I must collaborate with a professor to determine whether an accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration. Some students become frustrated with these steps. I understand this. I empathize with this. I have been in this position myself. That said, these policies exist to ensure equity, guaranteeing that every request is handled consistently and fairly.
Another “how to” part of self-advocacy is determining how much to share. The amount of information you should or must provide about your disability will vary depending on the circumstances. You will generally want to provide more information when you are making an initial accommodation request to your employer’s human resources department or your university’s disability services office. In such instances, you want to focus on establishing a nexus between the functional limitation posed by your disability and the accommodation you are requesting. Remember that the person hearing your request might have limited knowledge about your condition. You need to explicitly explain how different symptoms of your condition impacts specific life functions.
When advocating to utilize an approved accommodation, you do not need to 
provide detailed information. This being the case, it is best practice to let relevant parties know that you are using an accommodation for a disability-related reason. It is always helpful to request use of accommodations in a professional manner. Remind the relevant party(ies) that you are approved for this accommodation and explain that you need to use it because for a disability-related reason. Gently reminding relevant parties that you are approved for an accommodation and are using it appropriately allows for cooperation and clarity.
Self-advocacy is a challenge for many young adults (and older adults), but it is a critical skill for everyone, especially people with disabilities. Strong self-advocacy skills will empower you to access the accommodations and support you need to thrive. Being a good self-advocate starts with three basic steps: knowing how your condition(s) impacts you, understanding your legal rights, and knowing when and how to advocate. When you can advocate for yourself, you are better equipped to navigate barriers and pursue your goals.
