Note: The review is also posted on Amazon and Goodreads
As a self-advocate who works in the advocacy/self-advocacy industry in multiple capacities, I thank Tiffany Yu for helping me redefine and explore my advocacy journey through her magnum opus, the Anti-Ableist Manifesto. I am learning to check my privileges and use those to empower those who may not have access to higher education and vast social capital. I am also more willing to tie anti-ableist practices into my writing, advocacy, work, and everyday life through an intersection lens, in which I yearn to create a strong rapport with people in multiple marginalized communities and understand their stories without being quick to give bias or misconceptions.
I praise the practicality of Yu’s work; I read the Anti-Ableist Manifesto more like a manuscript with a combination of disability history and culture It doesn’t come off as a mere theoretical framework that can be discussed among disability studies professionals in academia. I like how she wrote the book in a way that I can not only understand concepts connected to anti-ableism and follow examples of each connecting concept, but I also support her use of questions that we can ask ourselves and use to examine our innermost selves. The questions at the end of each chapter have encouraged me to think about my inner assumptions for myself and others, how I can challenge myself to counter those assumptions, and how I can use that inner struggle better to support myself and people in the disability community.
I have learned three key takeaways from the Anti-Ableist Manifesto:
- There are three levels of being an Anti-Ableist: To be a full (or close-to-full) anti-ableist (self-)advocate, you must recognize and challenge the bias and privilege that you hold within yourself, (actively) learn from the disability community, incorporate anti-ableist practices to your daily life and the work that you do.
- The importance of connecting with the disability community is key; you cannot be anti-ableist without being willing to learn and connect with the disability community, whether it’s through being in-person, connecting virtually, or checking out their works and advocacy projects.
- Anti-Ableism is intersectional: Because oppressions are interconnected with each other, being anti-ableist can also help you be anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-Islamphobic, etc. All stories and systems of oppression overlap in some form or fashion.
This book is a must-read for those who want to become advocates, self-advocates, and allies of disabled people, especially if you’re connected to disabled people in BIPOC and other marginalized communities in your local area, business, etc.
I encourage you to order a physical, digital, or audio copy of Yu’s work on Amazon. After you order and read your copy of the Anti-Ableist Manifesto, encourage your friends, family members, colleagues, co-workers, and people in your networks to get the book. Ask your library, college, or bookstore to order and provide copies of the Anti-Ableist Manifesto, or work with Yu and her team to host a hybrid or virtual book tour event in your local area.
Also, follow Tiffany Yu on the following social media platforms for upcoming book signings and more:
- Upcoming book signing events: https://www.tiffanyyu.com/book
- Website: https://www.tiffanyyu.com
- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyayu
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imtiffanyyu
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imtiffanyyu
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imtiffanyyu
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@imtiffanyyu