海角大神

When she was a child, Tiffany Yu lost the use of her dominant arm in a car crash. In her early 20s, as a Goldman Sachs intern with a perfectionist bent, she began to see how she had unwittingly internalized the view that disabled people 鈥渃ould not measure up.鈥� 鈥奩et she knew there was value in her experience of disability. She founded the organization Diversability to help others find pride in their own stories. Her book, 鈥淭he Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World,鈥� was released on Oct. 8. She spoke with contributor Jodi Hausen. The interview has been edited and condensed.

What is Diversability?

We鈥檙e a disability-employee resource group that exists outside a company: a disability-centered community focused on helping disabled people with their shame-to-pride transformation. Once they achieve that transformation, we find visibility opportunities for them to share their story. I like to say I鈥檓 building and funding the things I wish existed when I was younger.聽

How did you go from feeling shame about your disability to feeling proud of it?

I felt really isolated after becoming disabled. I didn鈥檛 ascribe to labels at the time and felt really disempowered. Then I met other disabled people and saw myself as a community-builder first. But as a function of creating Diversability, I became a disability advocate. It gave me the confidence to find my voice; I鈥檝e been on my own transformation. I鈥檓 the No. 1 beneficiary of Diversability.聽

What prompted you to write this book?

I鈥檇 been doing presentations about disability inclusion in the workplace and putting out a lot of social media content, including 鈥淭he Anti-Ableism Series鈥� on TikTok. As that series started to go viral, people reached out asking how to engage more deeply with my work. A literary agent reached out to me. We thought there might be a version of this that could be in book form.

People in our community get really frustrated. There鈥檚 a lot of hurt from years and years of living in an ableist society. Learning should never be about shame. I wanted to figure out how I can meet people where they are and make something that鈥檚 approachable. For me, it was 鈥淐hange starts with me and those we can influence.鈥� Once we鈥檙e in community, in solidarity with each other, we can make bigger change. So that essentially became this book.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Trying to get people to care who don鈥檛 care. It doesn鈥檛 feel good for me knowing there are people in the world who still see us as a dehumanized, less-than, powerless group. I may not be able to reach them. When I started this work, I wanted everyone to be part of it, be my ally, show up for me. I鈥檝e learned there are some disabled people who don鈥檛 want to be proud of their disabilities. I had to acknowledge that the way we talk about disability isn鈥檛 for them. I believe in the trickle-down effect: You get this book; you share the messages with other people. I hope it鈥檚 a choir of voices able to reach the people I can鈥檛.

Do you advise people to disclose their disabilities when applying for work, asking for accommodation, or dating?

I鈥檓 a fan of accessibility-first cultures. If we create access first, most people don鈥檛 have to divulge. I鈥檓 a proponent of creating cultures where you say the things you need using the phrase 鈥淚 would benefit from鈥� and then insert what you need. You don鈥檛 have to share what you have. That doesn鈥檛 provide much information. You tell me you have ADHD, but then you say the way it manifests is in time management. The barrier is, How can we make sure you meet your deadlines? The barrier isn鈥檛 that you have ADHD.

I used to wait until the third date to tell someone about my disabilities. I noticed most people aren鈥檛 looking at people鈥檚 hands. So there鈥檚 no visible marker unless I鈥檓 wearing a splint. I realized, when I would wait, it was because I felt shame around that part of myself. I recognize there are people who are uncomfortable that I can鈥檛 use one of my arms. In the majority of my pictures, I鈥檓 wearing my splint. Now I always wear my splint on a first date because I don鈥檛 want to spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to make someone else feel comfortable about this body I鈥檝e lived in for 27 years.

What has been your greatest joy?

I feel like the deepest work is self-love work. So many of us grew up internalizing harmful narratives around disability. My greatest joy is that I like myself. And that was a really long journey to feel so amazing in this disabled body.

Also, being a witness to the growth of some of our community members who come in and don鈥檛 think they have a voice, don鈥檛 think anyone will care. Diversability turns 15 this year, and I鈥檝e been thinking about why I keep doing this work. It鈥檚 because I love our community.