As a chronically ill person, people often ask me about my disability. Sometimes I find myself talking to people who have never heard of ableism before, and I realize that I’ve just stepped into a much bigger conversation than I originally imagined. It’s in these moments I’m so grateful for advice from writers like Tiffany Yu.
Yu is the founder of Diversability, a community business that elevates disability pride, and her TED Talk, How to Help Employees with Disabilities Thrive, has over one million views. But I first came across her work on TikTok where she is the creator of the Anti-Ableism series. She speaks to viewers in such a warm and inviting way, I knew I had to check out her book—and now it’s finally here!
Yu has worked incredibly hard to make the text as accessible—in so many different ways—as possible. As a kid, Yu was in a car accident that paralyzed her right arm, and later she was diagnosed with PTSD. She uses her personal experience as a springboard, sharing anecdotes from her life to help illustrate her points. She organizes her book based on topics, each with easy-to-follow structures that take readers by the hand and lead them through her ideas. And, the chapters build on one another, helping readers understand her points.
Early on, she focuses on appropriate language, etiquette, and disability history. From there, she expands into ideas of how readers can help make the world around them more accessible. At the end of each chapter, Yu includes reflection questions that help readers think through the information they’ve just read and encourage them to make action plans on how they can implement anti-ableist practices in their own lives.
The Anti-Ableist Manifesto isn’t just for people new to the disability world. This book is perfect for experienced disability advocates, too. There are countless ways to be disabled, meaning there is no one-size-fits-all to disability. So we all have something to learn about making the world we live in more accessible for all.
