Internalized Ableism

The process by which disabled individuals absorb and internalize society's negative attitudes, stereotypes, and devaluation of disability, leading to feelings of shame, self-doubt, or a desire to hide or overcome their disability. Internalized ableism can cause disabled people to view their own needs as burdensome, resist using assistive technology or accommodations, or judge themselves against non-disabled standards. In the context of autism technology marketing, rhetoric that frames neurotypical behavior as the aspirational standard can reinforce internalized ableism by implying that autistic ways of being are inherently inferior and should be corrected.