Abled vs. Disabled

It is pretty easy to grasp that someone who is disabled, has a disability. If you weren’t aware of it before, you do know now. But what makes someone an “abled” person?

An abled person is anyone who doesn’t have a disability. Someone who doesn’t have any physical disabilities could also be called an able-bodied person. I generally stick with abled, as it’s much simpler to use. The difference between the abled and disabled go further than just whether or not someone has a disability, however.

There is a degree of systematic oppression towards disabled people that has been implemented by abled people. Abled people have an advantage in our abled-majority society. There is a certain amount of privilege in the ability to be able to go about one’s day without having to keep their disability in mind. This is something disabled people have to keep in mind. Disabled people have to make sure they have accommodations or other work arounds when it comes to every day tasks they might be unable to complete or have difficulty with. It is a different mindset that you have to adopt when you have a disability. Abled people often do not have to think about these things, and may accidentally not be considerate towards the needs of disabled people, because they haven’t been conditioned to think about these kinds of needs.

For those who are abled, pay attention when disabled people ask for something to help accommodate their disability. They are not asking for special treatment, they are trying to make sure they have the assistance they need to be on an equal level with the abled people in their environment. Providing proper accommodation and assistance is ultimately a form of basic respect for disabled people.