--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are a society that treats people with…" description: "\"We are a society that treats people with disabilities with condescension and pity, not dignity and respect.\" — Stella Young" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/stella-young-7013_ableism_we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with_1898209.jpg" --- # We are a society that treats people with disabilities with… ![“We are a society that treats people with disabilities with condescension and pity, not dignity and respect.” quote by Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/stella-young-7013_ableism_we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with_1898209.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/stella-young-7013_ableism_we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with_1898209.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/stella-young-7013_ableism_we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with_1898209.jpg) > “We are a society that treats people with disabilities with condescension and pity, not dignity and respect.” [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society treats disabled people with pity, not respect, denying them dignity. **In simple terms:** Disability is met with condescension. Key Takeaway Demand respect for all. Themes disability dignity social justice Mood determined empathetic Type advocacy educational When to use this quote - employment - public policy - media representation - education Key Concepts human rights attitudinal barriers Questions to Reflect On - How can we shift from pity to respect? - What policies promote dignity? A Different Perspective Changing attitudes is slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ableism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ableism/) [Ableist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ableist/) [Condescending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condescending/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Dignity and respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity-and-respect/) [Disabilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabilities/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Equal rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-rights/) [Equality-and-attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-and-attitude/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People with disabilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-with-disabilities/) [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [“03:11 And in the past few years, we've been able to propagate this lie even further via social media. You may have seen images…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/03-11-and-in-the-past-few-years-we-ve-been-able-to-propagate-this-lie/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [“He addressed Anjum without looking at her: “Do you have police permission to be here? Everybody must have permission to be here.” She towered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/he-addressed-anjum-without-looking-at-her-do-you-have-police/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Keep this in mind, my friends: don’t expect life to love you always! In life, you shall sometimes see true rejection and know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/keep-this-in-mind-my-friends-don-t-expect-life-to-love-you-always-in/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [“Don't Overlook and Pay attention to any signs that might suggest it could be at risk for common mental health issues like depression or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napz-cherub-pellazo/don-t-overlook-and-pay-attention-to-any-signs-that-might-suggest-it/) [Napz Cherub Pellazo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napz-cherub-pellazo/) ## More by Stella Young > [I am repeatedly asked in interviews exactly 'what's wrong' with me, and I always give them the same answer; I don't identify the name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/i-am-repeatedly-asked-in-interviews-exactly-what-s-wrong-with-me-and/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-think-we-know-what-it-s-all-about-we-think-that-disability-is-a/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [For me, in some ways, my whole life is a bit performative and always has been - because I'm stared at and looked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/for-me-in-some-ways-my-whole-life-is-a-bit-performative-and-always/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [Believe me, people with disabilities are just as concerned about benefit fraud as anyone else. Money spent on those who are not in need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/believe-me-people-with-disabilities-are-just-as-concerned-about/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [In many ways, I'm incredibly lucky to have been born with my impairment and that it's visible. It means my path has been predictable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/in-many-ways-i-m-incredibly-lucky-to-have-been-born-with-my/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [Death is not treatment, even if it's medically facilitated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/death-is-not-treatment-even-if-it-s-medically-facilitated/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [Personally, I like a generous side of wheelchair access with my cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/personally-i-like-a-generous-side-of-wheelchair-access-with-my-cities/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [We’ve been sold this lie that disability makes you exceptional and it honestly doesn’t. … I want to live in a world where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-ve-been-sold-this-lie-that-disability-makes-you-exceptional-and-it/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [When patronised, I'm unfortunately more flight than fight. Perhaps it's because I actually feel quite wounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/when-patronised-i-m-unfortunately-more-flight-than-fight-perhaps-it-s/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [I have a condition that is included among the 200 or so classified as Dwarfism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/i-have-a-condition-that-is-included-among-the-200-or-so-classified-as/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [The problem for many people with disabilities is not that we are not able to work a certain number of hours a week. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/the-problem-for-many-people-with-disabilities-is-not-that-we-are-not/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [As a wheelchair user, I am utterly obsessed with toilets, and all my friends know it. A simple invitation to the pub is consistently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/as-a-wheelchair-user-i-am-utterly-obsessed-with-toilets-and-all-my/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [Doctors are not fortune tellers, and neither am I. Having lived with disability since birth does not afford me immunity from illness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/doctors-are-not-fortune-tellers-and-neither-am-i-having-lived-with/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [From my first days in Washington D.C., where I rolled a whole four downtown blocks without seeing a single shop, cafe, bar or restaurant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/from-my-first-days-in-washington-d-c-where-i-rolled-a-whole-four/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [On the whole, my life is and has been wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/on-the-whole-my-life-is-and-has-been-wonderful/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) [Explore all 95 Stella Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) ## More Ableism quotes > [“You'll break the first time they put you in the sparring ring, and that's before the dragons sense that you're...' He shakes his head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-yarros/you-ll-break-the-first-time-they-put-you-in-the-sparring-ring-and/) [Rebecca Yarros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-yarros/) > [“The lingerie department is the only one that she can reach in her wheelchair. Nevertheless, she is fired the next day because of complaints…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemarie-garland-thomson/the-lingerie-department-is-the-only-one-that-she-can-reach-in-her/) Rosemarie Garland Thomson > [“Boys’ aggressiveness is increasingly being treated as a medical problem, particularly in schools, a trend that has led to the diagnosing and medicating of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/boys-aggressiveness-is-increasingly-being-treated-as-a-medical/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“Will you be to us, so self-assured of healthy body, a person to be spurned and rejected, doubly disabled by our prejudice and fears?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwina-gateley/will-you-be-to-us-so-self-assured-of-healthy-body-a-person-to-be/) [Edwina Gateley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwina-gateley/) > [“Now, Woolf calls her fictional bastion of male privilege Oxbridge, so I'll call mine Yarvard. Even though she cannot attend Yarvard because she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemarie-garland-thomson/now-woolf-calls-her-fictional-bastion-of-male-privilege-oxbridge-so-i/) Rosemarie Garland Thomson > [“He said that my problem was that I was perfectly healthy and had the illusion that I would be able bodied forever. I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-coyne/he-said-that-my-problem-was-that-i-was-perfectly-healthy-and-had-the/) James C. Coyne > [“You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken; even if we know society is broken none of us are aware of every sliver.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/you-can-t-fix-what-you-don-t-know-is-broken-even-if-we-know-society/) [Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/) > [“Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities. It is the harboring of beliefs that devalue and limit the potential of people with physical, intellectual,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-remrov-vormer/ableism-is-discrimination-against-people-with-disabilities-it-is-the/) Casey "Remrov" Vormer > [“They said 'specialist children's wards,' But they meant children-killing centers. They said 'final medical assistance' But they meant murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-clare-lezotte/they-said-specialist-children-s-wards-but-they-meant-children-killing/) Ann Clare LeZotte > [“The hyping of disabled athletes into superhuman status by Channel 4 only deepens our wounds, inflicted by continual assaults on our daily lives. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-pepper/the-hyping-of-disabled-athletes-into-superhuman-status-by-channel-4/) Penny Pepper [Browse all 11 Ableism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ableism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are a society that treats people with disabilities with condescension and pity, not dignity and respect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stella Young" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with-disabilities-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ableism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with-disabilities-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/stella-young-7013_ableism_we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with_1898209.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/stella-young-7013_ableism_we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with_1898209.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/stella-young-7013_ableism_we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with_1898209.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are a society that treats people with disabilities with condescension and pity, not dignity and respect.” — Stella Young", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stella Young", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are a society that treats...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with-disabilities-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-are-a-society-that-treats-people-with-disabilities-with/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```