Why Disabled People Are Often Underestimated

There's a quiet behaviour that many disabled people experience that goes unnoticed by those around us. It's called competence drift, and it happens when people lower their expectations of what we can do, not because of anything we have shown, but because they see disability before ability.
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WHAT COMPETENCE DRIFT LOOKS LIKE

It can be someone speaking more slowly when communicating with a disabled person.

It can be taking a task away from a disabled person, even though they were already doing it.

It can be a decision being made on behalf of somebody because they assume that their disability makes it too difficult.

Each of these examples looks minor in isolation, but they accumulate. Over time, the pattern becomes obvious. Disabled people are not being measured by their actions or experience, but by someone else’s assumptions.
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Intent is not the issue

Most of the time, people are genuinely trying to help so the difficulty lies not in the intent, but in the belief underneath it.

Disability has long been linked with inability in people’s minds. The word disabled means 'not functioning properly', which is fine if we're talking about a lift or a toilet. The problem arises when this association gets absorbed into our understanding of people because it shapes how they respond.

I'm not calling for an overhaul of language here - we're stuck with 'disabled' and 'disability' and we're going to have to learn how to own it - we just all need to be aware of how our subconscious understanding of these words can shift our behaviours.
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When Assumptions take Over

Moments where disability is noticed first and ability second are not rare. They creep into everyday situations in ways that are easy to overlook. 

I've been called inspirational for taking the train, as if basic travel becomes extraordinary the moment disability is involved.

People assume I cannot walk up steps, and have already mapped out a much longer route for me before I've stood up.

I've even had my own backpack taken from me without being asked, because a stranger was convinced he knew what I needed more than I did.

These are a few, innocuous examples that happen in the day-to-day, and none of them come from a place of harm. However, these assumptions influences decisions in the workplaces, public places and in the smallest interactions that make up daily life. Bit by bit, they lower expectations and widen the gap between perception and reality.

It helps to remember that none of us created the assumptions we are trying to undo. They sit on generations of social conditioning, healthcare narratives and workplace norms that have taught people to respond to disability with caution before confidence. That history will not dissolve in a single training session or a single conversation. People will get things wrong, overthink and hesitate.
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The goal is not flawless behaviour, but to build an environment where disabled people are not battling assumptions before they even begin. Awareness, curiosity and a willingness to course-correct are far more useful than perfection.
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Creating a space for ability

Reducing competence drift does not require dramatic change. It comes down to three consistent behaviours.

1. Ask before acting. A simple “Do you want a hand?” or “What works best for you?” prevents assumptions from taking over and gives the disabled person control of the interaction.
   
2. Listen properly to the answer. If someone says they are fine, believe them. If they say they need something different, take that at face value.
   
3. Create space for capability. That means stepping back enough for disabled people to show what they can do, rather than filling in the gaps with guesswork.
   

These three actions sound small, but together they shift the focus from assumption to respect and allow competence to be seen rather than quietly limited.