The Invisible Minority

Disabled individuals are the largest minority group in the United States, one that is often referred to as the “invisible minority” because its members are rarely recognized. Why? One reason may be that disability is intersectional; that is, it connects to and creates social identities tied to race, gender, religion, social class, sexual orientation, and age, among many other factors. Yet disabled individuals routinely face prejudice, discrimination, and social, political, educational, and economic disadvantages because of their disabilities.

Alexa Grace

What should we know about disability?

To understand disability as a form of diversity, nondisabled people need to understand how disabled people and the situations in which they find themselves mutually affect one another. In the first place, disability is arguably largely situational, as the built environment generally is designed for the nondisabled. Most physical structures are best suited for people who can walk great distances or take stairs but not necessarily for those who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, or who rely on animal guides or human aids. Within the social world, disability often triggers the interest and curiosity of nondisabled observers.

All too often such observations rely on stereotypes and biased assumptions, notably that disability, any disability, must be negative, demanding, and all-encompassing. The truth is that most people with disabilities function quite well in daily life, and they are just as likely to be as happy as—or to face the same concerns and challenges as—their nondisabled peers because, of course, they are people first.

How does psychology explain the experience of disability?


The experience of disability is in influenced by social psychological forces (e.g., other people, their attitudes, and stereotypes), some of which enhance, while others hinder, daily life. Psychologists work to de-essentialize nondisabled people’s perceptions and expectations regarding disability. The term essentialism refers to the belief that every entity has some qualities that promote both identity and purpose. Where disability is concerned, observers usually apply an either/or approach when categorizing other people: Someone either has or does not have a disability. When a disability is perceived as present, it overrides most or even all other qualities a person might possess, so that nondisabled people see any disability, regardless of its magnitude, as the defining essence of a person or, sometimes, a group of people. As you can imagine, this essentializing process makes any disability seem much larger and more influential than it may actually be. To reduce essentialism, nondisabled people need to learn to see disability as but one quality among many that a person possesses.