Understanding Microaggressions and Allyship to Support Dignity of Persons with Disabilities

Background and Purpose:

Microaggressions are known to be toxic, but less is known about the nature and impact of microaggressions experienced by persons with intellectual disabilities (ID, Eisenman et al., 2020; Kattari, 2020). This research addresses that gap. Further, the impact of microaggressions for allies and supporters of adults with disabilities has not been studied, so this research explores allyship in response to microaggressions and human rights violations experienced by persons with ID.

Methods:

The convenience sample for this paper draws from the lived experiences of human rights violations and microaggressions by 12 persons with ID, 21 professional allies, and 15 family members of people with disabilities. Ethnographic interviews were conducted, using an ability-aware adaptive interview methodology, that allowed every voice to be heard, regardless of communication ability. Data were analyzed drawing from empowerment and human rights-based approaches (HRBA). Themes include the decision-making model that allies use to determine when and how to advocate for people with ID (Mapp, 2021). Construct validity was derived from studies of racial microaggressions and human rights advocacy. By examining microaggressions through the frameworks of microassault, microinsult, and microinvalidation, and allyship through a passivity-versus-proactivity model, the research creates a robust multi-systemic understanding of ally action in response to microaggressions (Sue et al., 2007; De Souza & Schmader, 2025).

Findings:

Study participants with ID reported diverse experiences of microaggressions, including infantilization, unwanted touching, and loss of rights, such as the right to marry, decide type of work, and living place. These were noticed by some persons with ID, but not others. All allies experienced responsibility to stand up for the rights of people with ID, but knowing when and how to be an advocate was complex. Understanding how an individual with ID perceives a microaggression or human rights violation is a large component of the challenge. An individual's right to self-determination and an ally's respect for that right can lead to situations in which an ally feels offended on behalf of a person with ID, but does not act because the person with ID does not see the situation the same way. Being an ally in situations like these is complicated and requires specific personal understanding based on a close and a relationship with the person with ID.

Conclusion and Implications:

Persons with ID experience microaggressions and human rights violations in all levels of social systems, and have diverse reactions to those experiences. Allyship with people with ID has no playbook or one-size-fits-all solution. Debriefing with a person with ID after a perceived microaggression can better inform an ally's actions going forward. Both proactive and passive forms of allyship contributed to reduced harm for people with ID (De Souza & Schmader, 2025). A person-centered approach where an ally supports an individual's right to self-determination through continued, clear communication best aligns an ally's intention with the desires of the person on the receiving end of the microaggression.