Embracing the Unseen - Birding, Invisible Disabilities, and the Importance of Evolving Accessibility
The image is a graphic promoting Invisible Disability Awareness Week in conjunction with Birdability Week 2024. It features two illustrations against a blue background with white silhouettes of birds flying across the top.
On the left side, there is an illustration of a person using a wheelchair while holding a camera, representing a visible disability. Above this, the text reads: "Some disabilities look like this."
On the right side, there is an illustration of a person standing upright, looking through binoculars, representing an invisible disability. Above this, the text reads: "And some look like this."
As we mark Invisible Disability Awareness Week during Birdability Week 2024, it’s crucial to acknowledge and celebrate the many birders with disabilities that may not be immediately visible. Invisible disabilities—like chronic pain, mental health conditions, neurodivergence, sensory sensitivities, and autoimmune disorders—can vary dramatically from person to person. They may also change for each individual from year to year, day to day, or even minute to minute.
At Birdability, we know how essential it is to create inclusive spaces that honor these dynamic needs.
Changing Access Needs
For those of us with invisible disabilities, access needs are fluid. One day, you may be up for a five-mile hike, but the next, leaving the house feels impossible. You might love the idea of birding by ear, but some days the noise is too overwhelming. Perhaps mobility changes, pain flares, or anxiety spikes make an otherwise familiar trail feel inaccessible.
Invisible disabilities are often unpredictable, requiring flexibility and understanding from ourselves and our communities. Birding provides a beautiful opportunity to honor this adaptability. It can be as solitary or social, mobile or stationary, loud or quiet as needed—and this is where allies can make a huge impact.
3 Tips for Being a Better Ally to Birders with Invisible Disabilities
Ask and Adapt
Instead of assuming someone’s needs or capabilities, ask what support might help. It could be as simple as offering a place to sit, taking breaks during a walk, or giving someone space when they need solitude. Respecting these requests without judgment builds trust and creates a welcoming environment for all.Be Mindful of Language
Avoid making assumptions about what people are capable of or how they should be able to bird. Phrases like "You don’t look disabled!" can feel invalidating. Instead, honor people’s self-expressions and experiences. Focus on being supportive by using language that acknowledges and validates individual experiences, like “Let me know how I can best support your birding experience today.”Promote Inclusive Birding Practices
Familiarize yourself with accessible birding practices and help implement them when possible. Whether it’s choosing trails that offer resting spots, creating sensory-friendly birding experiences, or ensuring that events provide options for different types of access needs (such as birding from a car or having virtual options), your advocacy helps make birding more welcoming for all.
Connecting Through Birding
By being mindful and proactive, we can foster a birding community that celebrates every individual’s unique ways of connecting with nature. Invisible disabilities may not always be seen, but they are felt, and they deserve the same respect and inclusion as any other experience of disability.
During Birdability Week and every day, let’s learn from and support birders with invisible disabilities, ensuring that birding remains a joyful and healing activity for everyone, regardless of their access needs. Together, we can build a birding community where everyone feels welcome, valued, and free to engage with birds and nature in their own way.
