One way of being assertive about your needs is to ask for accommodations or accessibility supports. When you ask for accommodations, you need to consider whether you want to disclose your disability.
There is no right or wrong answer about disclosing your disability. You get to choose whether and when you share this information, and what information you share.
Reasons you might choose to disclose your disability include:
- It could help you feel more supported or empowered.
- It could help you prove why you need an accommodation.
- It could help others to understand your needs.
On the other hand, you might not want to disclose your disability if you are concerned about stigma or discrimination. You may also prefer to keep specifics about your disability private or you may feel that the barriers you experience related to disability are not relevant for the particular situation and environment.
If you decide to disclose your disability, you do not need to share information about your specific diagnosis, when you were diagnosed, or how you complete day-to-day tasks. You only need to share:
- Any accommodations you need to participate fully.
- How accommodations will support your ability to participate.
Disability is protected under federal and provincial/territorial human rights codes. This means it is against the law to discriminate against someone based on disability. So, you can disclose your disability with confidence that it is your right to do so.
