Imagine being told you’re not disabled enough to receive help. For many, this might seem unimaginable, but for millions of people with disabilities, it’s a harsh reality. Discrimination comes in many forms, and one of the most insidious is when the very organizations meant to support those with disabilities turn them away.
My friend Shain Anderson is one of those people. He has cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability, yet in 2013, when he reached out to United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of New York seeking help with employment, he was told, You aren’t disabled enough.
Now, imagine if this happened to a non-disabled person. If someone without a disability were denied services they qualified for, simply because they didn’t seem to fit the “right” criteria, there would be uproar. The media would be all over it, politicians would be making statements, and public outcry would demand action. But because Shain—and others like him—are part of the disabled community, the silence is deafening.
ADA Compliance: Protecting the Rights of People with Disabilities
It’s important to understand that the discrimination Shain faced is not just a personal grievance—it’s a violation of fundamental rights. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), discrimination against individuals with disabilities is prohibited in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all other places open to the general public. This extends beyond physical spaces to include digital assets such as websites and applications.
The ADA is a civil rights law designed to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. When organizations, like UCP, discriminate against someone like Shain by denying him services, they are acting against the principles of ADA compliance. If a non-disabled person faced similar discrimination, you can be sure that the ADA would be enforced with much more urgency and visibility. But when it’s people with disabilities who are marginalized, enforcement often falls short.
Discrimination Against People with Disabilities
Shain’s experience is a form of discrimination that’s often overlooked. It’s not as overt as denying someone access to a building or refusing to accommodate their needs, but it’s just as harmful. He reached out to a disability organization, one whose very mission is to assist people like him, only to be turned away because he didn’t seem “disabled enough.”
The idea that some people with disabilities are more worthy of help than others is dangerous. It reinforces harmful stereotypes and leaves many without the support they need to thrive. Disability is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Some people may have more visible disabilities, while others’ struggles are less apparent. That doesn’t mean their needs are any less real.
What If This Happened to Non-Disabled People?
Now, let’s flip the script. What if this type of gatekeeping and discrimination were happening to non-disabled people? Imagine if a non-disabled job seeker was told, You don’t qualify for assistance because you don’t look like you need help. Or if someone trying to access public services was denied because they didn’t meet some arbitrary standard. The outrage would be immediate, and the system would likely change in response.
But when it happens to disabled people, the reaction is different. Society is conditioned to believe that disability is a monolithic experience, and those who don’t fit the most extreme examples are often overlooked. This needs to change. Just because someone doesn’t seem “disabled enough” doesn’t mean they don’t face challenges or deserve help.
Shain’s Story
Shain was understandably frustrated by his experience with UCP, so he wrote them a letter, hoping for change. In his words:
“To Whom It May Concern:
I am not usually one to write letters, but this situation compels me to speak up. When I called UCP to inquire about employment assistance, I was told, “You aren’t disabled enough.” That statement left me shocked. I have often faced a lack of understanding from society, but I never expected it from an organization designed to support people like me.
Your response suggests that my struggle—and the struggles of others who are considered “high-functioning”—aren’t valid or deserving of help. This is dangerous thinking. Who determines what “high-functioning” even means? Was the person I spoke to disabled? Before that call, I didn’t realize that degrees of disability mattered in determining who gets assistance.
United Cerebral Palsy, I’ve learned, is not truly united at all.”
Shain never received a response to his letter. There silence speaks volumes about the organization’s priorities. It seems that for some disability organizations, helping only those who fit a particular image of disability is enough. But that’s not good enough. It wouldn’t be good enough if it were happening to non-disabled people, so why is it acceptable for those with disabilities?
The Need for Change
The truth is, if this type of discrimination were happening to non-disabled people, change would come swiftly. Disability organizations would be held accountable, and the public would demand better. But when it’s disabled individuals like Shain being denied, society too often looks the other way.
Organizations like UCP claim to be pioneers in providing cutting-edge programs for people with disabilities, building a more inclusive world. And while this may be true for some individuals, the truth is that for people like Shain—those who don’t fit the narrowest definitions of disability—they are still left on the margins.
We need to do better.
Disability, in all its forms, deserves recognition. Whether someone’s disability is visible or not, severe or less apparent, they still deserve access to the help they need. And it’s not just about services—it’s about dignity and equality. Everyone, disabled or not, deserves the chance to live a full, independent life without having to prove they are “disabled enough” to qualify for it.
Featured image via Max Bender on Unsplash
