Deciding Whether to Disclose: Navigating Disability in the Academic Hiring Process

As a critical disability studies scholar living with invisible disabilities, deciding whether to disclose my disability during the academic hiring process was one of the most challenging decisions I had to make. Graduate students often ask me whether they should disclose, and my answer is always the same: there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The decision is deeply personal and involves weighing various factors, each with its own complexities.

One of the first considerations is the potential impact on your professional identity. For some, disclosing may align with their commitment to disability justice and their desire to challenge ableism in academia. For example, I have always believed in being open about my experiences to disrupt the silence around disability, particularly because academia is often an ableist space. Sharing my story has allowed me to mentor students, change expectations, and advocate for accommodations that benefit the broader academic community.

For me, it has always been crucial that my colleagues and department accept me for who I am—disability included. I have never hidden this part of myself. "Take me or leave me" has become my personal motto. I don’t want to hide any aspect of my identity, and being transparent about my disability has allowed me to find spaces where I feel fully welcomed. Of course, that approach isn’t for everyone. Some may choose to keep their disability private, especially if they feel that disclosure might impact their chances of being hired or if they’re uncertain about the department’s culture.

Personally, when it comes to the hiring process, I’ve chosen to share my disability through various components of my application, including my Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) statement. I talk openly about my positionality and my relationship to the work I do. In my teaching statement, I highlight the ways in which I strive to make the classroom and university more accessible. Through my mentorship statement, I share how I support disabled students and foster an environment where they can thrive. My research statement, too, reflects my identity as a disabled scholar, as it drives the work I do in critical disability studies. My disability is not a compartmentalized part of my life; it penetrates every aspect of who I am as an academic.

However, disclosing can also have risks. There may be implicit biases from hiring committees, who might question your ability to meet the demands of the job. This can be particularly true when dealing with invisible disabilities, where there is often skepticism about the legitimacy of the condition. I’ve known colleagues who faced discrimination after disclosing, with committees making assumptions about their productivity or ability to manage the pressures of academia.

It’s important to acknowledge that academia, like many other institutions, is often not structured to support disabled scholars adequately. I’ve found that by being open about my disability, I can push for necessary changes, hopefully (little by little) helping make the system better for future disabled academics. That said, this approach requires a certain level of privilege, which not everyone may have, and that’s a significant issue.

Ultimately, the decision to disclose is deeply personal, and disabled academics must consider their comfort, the context of the institution, and their own professional goals. For me, disclosing allowed me to embrace my identity fully, but it’s important to acknowledge that academia is not always a welcoming space for disabled scholars. At the end of the day, every disabled person should make the decision that feels right for them, based on their individual needs and circumstances. There is no right or wrong choice—only what makes the most sense for you.