6 - Ability Apartheid at Work

Summary

This chapter critically analyses the concerning treatment of certain psychosocial disabilities that are deemed ‘unacceptable‘ by law and policymakers. Beyond disability, not all lifestyle choices are real 'choices'. Healthism in society can result in inequalities and such health discrimination is often linked with other attributes. As a consequence, laws have regulated how these programmes can be implemented so that the programmes do not slip into disability discrimination. This chapter is not dealing with laws and policies which seek positive health outcomes, but instead with laws and policies which seek to reduce the visible presence of certain psychosocial disabilities in society. The process of marking certain impairments as ‘unacceptable‘, implementing policies to stigmitise and exclude such conditions, is unique to people with psychosocial disabilities. The singling out of particular psychosocial disabilities for stigmatising and permitting discrimination on that attribute are designed to reduce certain forms of ability diversity in the community and to reinforce an ability apartheid.