Articles

Empowering Inclusion through Self-Advocacy: Harnessing Language to Transform Stigma into Strength for Individuals With Physical Disabilities

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Abstract

People with a physical disability often experience stigmas in face-to-face interaction which can lead to social exclusion. The underlying social misconceptions can lead to low self-esteem, and consequently, people with a physical disability often avoid social initiative-taking. However, research has shown that self-advocacy can contribute to and benefit social inclusion. The well-known conceptual framework of self-advocacy by Test et al. will be discussed and adapted for this article as I propose a reconceptualization of the framework specifying four novel contributors. Language (linguistic knowledge and skills) is an important communicative means to counter misconceptions. Language awareness raising can be adopted as a learning device to empower physically challenged persons in everyday social interactions.

Keywords: physical disability, self-advocacy, language skills, disclosure, empowerment, social exclusion, social stigmas

How to Cite:

Denissen, C., (2025) “Empowering Inclusion through Self-Advocacy: Harnessing Language to Transform Stigma into Strength for Individuals With Physical Disabilities”, DiGeSt - Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies 12(1), 36-50. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/digest.90369