Self-Advocacy

The ability and practice of speaking up for one's own needs, rights, and interests, particularly in contexts where those needs may be overlooked, dismissed, or actively opposed. In disability contexts, self-advocacy is both a personal skill and a political movement, encompassing everything from requesting accommodations to participating in policy advocacy. Effective self-advocacy requires knowledge of one's rights, communication skills, and the social capital to make demands—resources that are not equally distributed, making self-advocacy particularly challenging for people with communication disabilities, cognitive disabilities, or those facing multiple forms of marginalization.