Hate speech as an expression of disablism
Terje Årsvoll Olsen, Janikke Solstad Vedeler, John Eriksen · 2019
This chapter discusses the results from the first national survey in Norway on disability hate speech, based on a questionnaire to members of disabled people’s organisations. It focuses on the reported reactions and responses, e.g., follow-up and non-follow-up to hate speech incidents from the persons themselves and their family, friends, workplace, school, and police. The chapter examines what the consequences of hate speech are and discusses whether these consequences can be interpreted within the framework of disablism . The consequences of hate speech are manifold and harm people and society in several ways. Firstly, disability hate speech directly affects people’s self-esteem and identity. Secondly, disability hate speech sends a message of fear and anger that has consequences for disabled people in general. Thirdly, disability hate speech has negative effects for wider society as it scares people with disabilities from involving themselves in society, including in public debates.