Are you a Box-Checker? 7 Disability Inclusion Mistakes
We all know a box checker. They’re the ones that do the very least. They show up. They follow the rules. They offer little to no creativity in their work or other endeavors. And, most likely, they’re unwilling to change.
Years ago, when I began working in the disability inclusion space, one of my greatest skills became learning how to identify box checkers and the disability inclusion mistakes they make. Box checkers in the disability inclusion space often include people and companies that operate in the following ways:
- Focus solely on ADA compliance
Many box-checking companies’ sole reason for addressing disability in the workplace is to ensure they don’t get sued. These companies are not focused on the benefits of hiring disabled people, rather they want to know exactly what federal employment regulations they must follow to keep their doors open. This often includes providing the bare minimum when it comes to workplace accommodations or focusing on simply meeting, not exceeding, corporate or federal disability hiring requirements.
- Seek accessibility guidance as an afterthought
Another key characteristic of a disability box checker is a tendency to think about accessibility and inclusion right before an event or project launches. These are people that spend months and even years planning an event or program, then a few weeks prior reach out to disability-focused consultants or organizations for guidance on how to make the program accessible. Often by the time a company makes these connections, it’s too late to either implement or fix aspects of the program that would make it truly accessible and inclusive. Don’t make this disability inclusion mistake!
- Lack of training and knowledge about the disability community
Box checkers don’t aim to understand, they aim to comply. Disability box checkers don’t take time to invest in understanding the language, perspectives, and experiences of the disabled community. Instead, they make assumptions and/or lean on archaic narratives and language to address disability in their work and even personal interactions.
- Take the word of ANYONE who claims to understand disability
Disability box checkers typically don’t prioritize ensuring the guidance or support they implement is provided in partnership with or led by disabled people. Rather, they bring people to decision making tables that either have no direct experience engaging with disabled people or are allies in some way (parents, siblings, etc.) without having disabled people in the room as well.
- Assume one way or one perspective is enough
The phrase “disability is not a monolith” is one we say quite often in our work at LCI. This means that not only is disability nuanced and varied based on people’s individual experiences, but also that our intersectional identities shape the way we experience disability and how we access spaces. Disability box checkers don’t see things that way. Often, they feel that by having one or two disabled people as advisors or even as a part of an internal team, they have enough perspectives to speak on behalf of or make decisions for all disabled people.
- Emphasize accessibility rather than inclusion and belonging
One of the primary distinctions of a disability box checker is their tendency to focus on making something accessible, meaning a disabled person can physically/virtually access a space or activity, rather than making a disabled person feel welcome and like they belong. While accessibility is a key component of disability inclusion and belonging, it should not be a company’s sole focus — this is a disability inclusion mistake. It’s lovely that a wheelchair user can enter their workplace because there’s an elevator in the building or that a d/Deaf or hard of hearing person can attend an event because there’s an ASL interpreter, but that’s not enough. If others within the space are using ableist language or a disabled person is simply ignored upon arrival, the accessibility components can mean very little.
- Unwilling to change or implement change
As mentioned, box checkers are about doing the least. Learning and effecting sustainable change or improvements is not on their list of priorities. Disability box checkers fit right in there. These are decision makers that claim to know all they need to about disability-related matters, from accessibility, to language, to etiquette and everything in between. When disability box checkers are unwilling to change, this stifles their ability to improve outcomes and even shift the way their companies connect to and engage with the disability community.
While these are not all the ways people and companies demonstrate their focus on disability box checking, they are some of the most distinctive disability inclusion mistakes.
In our next Impact & Insights blog, we’ll share how you can move past box checking to become a true changemaker.
Did any of these box checking ways sound familiar? We’re here to help! Schedule a call with us now so we can support your efforts to break out of that box!
