Thread by @DisInHigherEd

Anonymous Story #18 - Incapable of seeing ableism.

We will be posting this story as a thread below, but if you'd prefer to read it as a blog, you can do that.
[blog post] disabledinhighered.weebly.com/blog/incapable…
(1/8)

#DisabledInHigherEd #DEHEM21 #DisInHigherEd

I was diagnosed with autism in my undergrad career. It was wonderful to be able to understand myself and my needs and do so in a place where I felt safe. But I was sheltered in undergrad, fortunate enough to have a professor open about being ND. 2/

I connected with them more than other students did, not realizing why other students didn’t. And now I continue my journey in higher ed, facing extreme ableism from my PI. I want to make it clear that my PI is a genuinely good person, but is incapable of seeing ableism. 3/

PI has done a lot of work to support many minorities, but has never included disability in that work. The safe space poster in our lab is wonderful but does not mention disability. 4/

I had hoped that if my PI was willing to openly be supportive of many other minority groups, they would also support the disabled community, but I was wrong. One day, after PI pushed a bit too much, I shared my autism diagnosis (thinking I would be safe). 5/

My PI took it well enough, but has openly treated me worse in the time since. I try harder to mask at work and pay the price for it, trapped in a cycle of frustration-days where I don’t mask are worse still. 6/

I used to work for a disabled PI and I know how wonderful the environment could be, but I don’t know if I could ever be the one to change it. And it shouldn’t be on me alone to champion disability rights in my work environment when it’s not what I’m paid for. 7/

These are things that make me consider leaving science altogether.
_
Thank you to the anonymous author for sharing their story. /Fin
#AcademicAbleism #DisInHigherEd