Thread by @skwinnicki

Trying to make wildlife biology more diverse?

Don’t forget disabled people!

If you’re looking at a #fieldwork job candidate in a zoom interview and think “I don’t think they look like they can physically handle this job” examine your biases

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#subtweet
#AcademicChatter

If someone reads the requirements and thinks they are capable of doing the job why make the assumption that they can’t?

Disabled folks know their limits better than you do

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On paper, I shouldn’t be able to do fieldwork well— I’m overweight, I had three reconstructive surgeries on deformed feet, I have an autoimmune disease that makes it hard to regulate my core temp.

But I love field biology, and this’ll be my eighth successful field season

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“But Sarah, I need someone who will physically be able to do this job”

Understandable, but again, if folks who know their bodies better than you do say they can handle it, who are you to say otherwise?

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#Abelism in hiring is a huge deal in general and one of the many reasons disabled people are often below the poverty line

“Must be able to lift 30 lbs for this office job” oh c’mon, if 30 lbs need to be lifted one day we can ask a friend for help

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#Fieldwork is hard work, I get it. You have limited funds, you want someone you can trust to do the work. But deciding someone isn’t capable based on the way they look in an interview just isn’t it, folks.

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And this idea that field biologists need to look a certain way doesn’t just hurt disabled people. We need to stop hiring based on people who look the part— you don’t need to be a buff white male in hiking boots and flannel to do a good job.

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Anyway please don’t bother to argue, you’re not going to be able to change my mind.

Stop refusing to hire people because *you* don’t think they’re physically capable

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