I have always hated the term ‘hidden disability’. My disability isn’t hidden. If you take the time to listen, to ask how I access the world, or simply to recognise that not every disability is immediately visible, it becomes clear enough.
I don’t mean we should be going around asking strangers, “What disability do you have?” I mean asking something much more useful: “How can I make this space accessible for you?”
For the purposes of this article, I am going to reluctantly use the term ‘hidden disability’ because it is one that many people recognise. I also want to acknowledge that the language around disability is often complicated, controversial, and individual. Personally, I prefer to be called ‘disabled’. Others prefer the term ‘differently abled’. Some prefer other terms. There is no single label that everyone feels comfortable with.
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