Glossary

A body that adheres to specific standards of functioning, fitness, appearance, strength, energy, capacity, reason, and competence, among other factors.

A network of beliefs, processes and practices that produce a particular kind of self and body that becomes the normative standard, or the "species typical." (Kumari-Campbell, 2021). Can also refer to discrimination or prejudice against disabled people (see also: "disableism").

Digital features that enhance accessibility such as open captions, image description, plain language etc.

An Ontario law aimed at setting the standards for accessibility and making public spaces more accessible. The AODA was enacted in 2005 with the goal of improving accessibility standards in all public establishments by 2025.

A traditional Western model of health that equates health with the absence of disease, often focusing on individual physical or mental conditions that require medical intervention.

An interdisciplinary field of study that examines the health and well-being of marginalized groups, particularly around the intersection of race, gender, and health.

A way of describing the human body and mind as a single, inseparable unit. This approach rejects the traditional Western dualism between body and mind.

Federal legislation that ensures that publicly funded health care services are available to residents of Canada, focusing on reasonable access without financial or other barriers.

Federal funding provided to provincial healthcare systems. This funding is meant to be conditional on provinces meeting the criteria and conditions of the Canada Health Act.

A national organization that provides standardized data and analyses on healthcare systems in Canada, including access to services and health outcomes.

An economic system where private individuals and organizations own property and businesses, and make decisions based on profit.

An perspective on disability where disabled people are seen as objects of tragic misfortunate, focusing on charity rather than empowerment or inclusion.

Communities organizing themselves to meet each other’s needs through solidarity as opposed to charity.

A system in which a population establishes control over a foreign territory, exploiting its resources, people, and land, often leading to long-lasting social, economic, and cultural impacts.

A disability rights term that emerged as a reclamation of a once-derogatory label of otherness into a self-proclaimed source of pride, human expansiveness, and non-normative resistance. (Hutcheon & Wolbring, 2013; Thorneycroft, 2024)

A dynamic process that seeks to transform dominant conceptions and practices from those that position disability as a “problem” to be solved, towards ones that foresee a world with disability as “possible and desirable”. (McRuer, 2006)

A framework that explores how racial inequalities are embedded in social, political, and legal systems.

An understanding of disability that expects and assumes intervention as the sole response to disability without considering any other perspectives or possibilities. (Kafer, 2012)

The process of undoing the colonization of Indigenous peoples and their land, culture, and practices. Decolonization is a process of unlearning, relearning, and rebuilding.

The process of removing political and social context and complexity from an issue.

A medical process that that identifies and names conditions.

The ability to understand, support, and co-create an environment that improves the lives of people with disabilities, maintaining the understanding that anyone may become disabled and should therefore be provided with the necessary information to be able to live with a disability, including biomedical decision-making, accessible technology and design, disability rights and legislation, and more (Garland-Thompson, 2017).

A grassroots movement that advocates for the rights, dignity, and inclusion of disabled people, focusing on intersectionality and collective justice.

An approach that addresses disability-based discrimination through legal protections, policy interventions, and rights-based mechanisms.

Literal or figurative barriers in the world that prevent people living with impairments from enacting their desires, participating fully in and taking ownership of their lives.

Discrimination or negative treatment directed towards disabled people (e.g., stereotypes, infantilizing policies, or professional or occupational regulations barring the employment of disabled people)

A legal obligation under human rights laws to modify or adjust policies, practices, or physical environments so that people who are adversely affected by a requirement, rule or standard have access to equal opportunities and benefits.

The notion that we all have responsibilities to provide care for one-another. (Eva Fedder Kittay, 2011)

The belief that disabled people are excludable or undesirable, and should be removed from society.

A tendency to interpret the world in terms of European values and experiences. Rooted in settler colonialism.

Knowledge that is recognized as authoritative, often based on having certain credentials.

A feminist framework that emphasizes the importance of relationships, empathy, and caregiving.

The process through which access to services, resources, or recognition is controlled by institutional or professional authorities.

A movement that is community-driven, often emerging from the needs and experiences of people with direct lived experience.

In disability communities, hacks refer to creative, resourceful adaptations or workarounds that disabled people use to navigate inaccessible environments, technologies, or systems. These can include repurposing everyday objects, inventing tools, or developing strategies that support autonomy and access.

The effort of public health agencies to improve well-being by supporting governments, communities, and individuals to address health challenges. It focuses on creating healthy environments and promoting healthy behaviors through policies and resources. (Public Health Ontario, 2024)

A concept in which health is framed as a personal responsibility, defined by individual actions, attitudes, and behaviors. (Crawford, 1980)

a social system where heterosexual men have power and authority over others.

A tribunal that hears and rules on complaints relating to the Ontario Human Rights Code. Anyone who believes they have been discriminated against under the Code can bring an application to the Tribunal.

Functional differences, such as sensory or physical differences, for example seeing differently or moving differently.

The process of confining disabled people to institutions, often as a result of medicalized views of disability.

The idea that people’s unique lived experiences are influenced by multiple intersecting factors and identities, including race, gender, class, and disability.

An Indigenous health model that is grounded in the idea of interconnectedness and equality between all forms of life.

Knowledge rooted in people's own direct experiences of their body, health, and the world.

A self-identity held by some people who have accessed psychiatric services or have been told that they have a mental illness. This identity is a way to reclaim a word that was once a slur.

A critical theory that focuses on the role of class and economic systems in perpetuating inequality.

The social and institutional power granted to medical professionals, knowledge, and systems to define health, illness, disability, and appropriate responses to them.

The use of medical knowledge and language to guide societal norms, values, and behaviors, as well as morality.

A perspective on disability that views disability as an individual problem that needs to be diagnosed, treated, or cured in order to return to the able-bodied norm.

Charitable efforts focused on raising funds for medical research aimed at curing or treating disabilities.

The process of assigning medical meaning to behaviors and conditions, and positioning medical practices as the primary method of treatment or resolution. It often results in the lives of disabled people being imbued in medical meaning.

The historical and contemporary forms of structural violence directed towards Indigenous, Black and other racialized people through the institution, policy and practice of medicine.

A political and economic philosophy that prioritizes minimal government intervention, reduced public spending, and more individual responsibility.

Societal standards or ideals of what is considered "normal," particularly in relation to bodies and minds, often used in contrast to "disabled" bodies.

A program in Ontario that aims to provides financial assistance and other supports to disabled people.

A financial assistance program in Ontario that provides support to people in financial need by providing income, employment assistance, and health-related benefits.

A program that provides publicly funded health-related goods, such as wheelchairs and hearing aids through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

A provincial law in Ontario that protects people from discrimination in access to commonly used services, housing, and employment within the province on the basis of disability, citizenship, race, place of origin, ethnic origin, colour, ancestry, age, creed, sex/pregnancy, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance (in housing) and record of offences (in employment).

Public transportation services designed specifically for disabled people, including those who have mobility limitations.

Relationships of dominance and subordination between different groups
- Oxford Dictionary

A social movement that advocates for the rights of individuals who have experienced psychiatric treatment and challenges the stigma of mental illness

A complex process that involves the growing influence of psychiatry on society, often leads to attributing psychiatric meaning to social and psychological phenomena.

Organizations responsible for promoting and protecting public health through policies, programs, and services aimed at improving the overall health of the community.

A theory that challenges traditional understandings of gender, sexuality, and identity, and explores how these norms impact diverse communities.

A state of connectedness or being in "relationship" with other things.

A perspective that sees disability as a result of barriers in society, not an individual deficit, and focuses on removing those barriers.

Societal expectations which include the ability to live independently, work, and minimize vulnerabilities. These expectations are often tied to concepts of "normal functioning" and can marginalize those who are unable to meet these standards.

When something is made real because humans agree that it is real. For example, the value of money is a social construct. Money has no inherent value (e.g. it can't be eaten), but it has value in our society due to human consensus.

When a social structure or institution causes harm by preventing people from meeting their basic needs.

Relating to or affecting an entire system, organization, etc. rather than just some parts of it (Cambridge Dictionary).

A system where the healthcare industry prioritizes profit over health, care, and well-being.

A research body that explores how disability is experienced and understood across different cultures and countries.

A system for prioritizing patients in emergencies based on the severity of their conditions and their ability to be evacuated.

A situation where accommodations for a person with a disability would result in significant difficulty or expense for an organization, considering factors like cost, resources, and impact on operations.

An early UK-based disability rights organization which established the principles of the social model of disability

An intergovernmental organization established after World War II with the goal of preventing future wars. The UN's objectives include protecting human rights, upholding international law, and maintaining peace and security around the world.

A belief system that promotes the superiority of white people over others, often leading to systemic inequality

A social movement that aims to improve the health and well-being of women through advocacy for healthcare reforms and awareness of gender-specific health issues

The United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health so that everybody can attain the highest level of health.