"Going the Extra Mile": Disclosure, Accommodation, and Stigma Management among Working Women with Disabilities

Deviant Behav. 2019;40(8):942-956. doi: 10.1080/01639625.2018.1445445. Epub 2018 Mar 6.

Abstract

Although research has quantitatively evaluated the impacts of stigma on working women with disabilities (WWD), nuanced, qualitative accounts voiced by these women are rare. To address this literature gap, we conducted seven focus groups with forty-two WWD. We asked: "What are women's experiences of disability disclosure and accommodation in the workplace?" Findings reveal that WWD face intentional and unintentional structural discrimination and must weigh the pros and cons of disclosure and navigate devaluation threats in pursuing workplace accommodations. "Going the extra mile" emerged as a stigma management technique that was prevalent among women of higher social capital.

Keywords: Disability; discrimination; employment; social capital; stigma.