It was August 19th of 2020— in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and election year. The constant crackling of the television in the living room with news of COVID echoed throughout my head. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my phone to open Twitter. As normal, an influx of politics stole my feed. Joe Biden was revealed to have won the democratic primaries, and thus becoming a presidential candidate. 

As a person with progressive political views, I was disappointed. However, my emotions regarding him being chosen spread far deeper than views. Disabilities commonly get overlooked in politics, and this was no exception. Small instances of ableism in politics are normalized; an example being Trump’s mocking a disabled reporter in 2016.

Back In February, a video regarding Joe Biden and ableism went viral. The video focuses on Samuel Habib, a 20-year-old disabled person, who attended a campaign for Joe Biden. He pet his face and used the infamous, infantilizing voice that most disabled people know all too well. 

“You’re smart,” he repeats multiple times while stroking Samuel’s cheek. “The disability does not define who you are.”

I remember this video striking an individual chord with me personally. A degrading tone people use when talking to disabled people is oftentimes passed off as respect— or even inclusion. The surrounding crowd was eating it up, although Biden simply responded with the Americans with Disabilities Act in response to Samuel’s question regarding college integration. Murmurs of approval whistled throughout the crowd, and many onlookers saw nothing wrong with the situation at hand. 

Noelle Hazel, a wheelchair-user from New Jersey also expressed being uncomfortable after seeing the video. She felt that the “baby voice” used was incredibly condescending, invalidating, and perpetuated stereotypes of treating disabled adults like children. 

“I think Joe responded this way because unfortunately, a major ableist stereotype is that disabled people cannot feel or speak for themselves,” Hazel says, “Society has portrayed disability as something to pity, making able-bodied people use us as a source of their happiness— or to feel like a good person.”

As for how he should’ve handled the situation, she emphasized the point of humanizing disabled people, and simply speaking normally.

“Just speaking and listening to Samuel like the adult that he is and leaving out the face stroking would’ve made this interaction great and normal,” Hazel says.

Which garners the question— with Joe Biden officially becoming President-elect, what is his plan of action and what is his history regarding persons with disabilities in his political career? Do his actions in the video mirror his plans in power?

Before looking into his plan as president, it’s important to consider what he has done in his prior political years, as Vice President and in the U.S. Senate. Performative plans are common in politics, just simply a cover-up after years of disregard for disability issues. He worked to create anti-discrimination protections for the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1975, and enacted the Affordable Care Act in 2010, during his time as Vice President to Barack Obama. 

According to the section regarding the full plan for full participation and equality for people with disabilities on the Biden/Harris official website, his plan entails rebuilding the Affordable Care Act, expanding employment and potential housing options, creating more opportunities for those with disabilities in higher politics, reforming the criminal justice system’s inherent bias against those with disabilities, as well as tackling discrimination in public transportation, healthcare, and schools. While many of these points are hopeful, yet seemingly bare minimum, one aspect of his plan stood out to me in particular. 

He describes, in detail, the appointment of a director of disability policy inside of the Domestic Policy Council to enforce these issues to be worked through and communicated with the necessary parties of change on the Biden/Harris website. This could potentially be a real breakthrough for disability politics and vital reformation. 

In addition to general disability issues, he also outlines a COVID plan on his website with special care to individuals with disabilities struggling with the virus. He plans to pass the Coronavirus Relief for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act, which will provide additional funding to community and home-based services impacted by COVID. This act places an emphasis on all people regardless of ability and age being able to access healthcare, food, and transportation.

Joe Biden was confirmed as president-elect on Nov. 23. In his predicted victory speech on Nov. 16, he mentioned those with disabilities, which is a second in the nation’s history. Former President Barack Obama made references in both of his inaugural speeches. Acknowledgment of the disabled community in such a mainstream political moment is a monumental step. 

Hazel felt this mention to be a much-needed beacon of light after his previous actions of the video. Due to the common exclusion of disabled people in politics, and the actions of the previous administration, hope was needed. 

“I honestly felt so seen. I know it’s a small nod, but politically, disability has often been left out of the narrative. In my lifetime, I had never heard a president willingly on their own bring up disabled people,” Hazel said. “I definitely felt a glimmer of hope, that we can finally be moving forward.”

In terms of doing a full analysis of the president-elect, one must consider every aspect: not just one portion. In Biden’s instances of ableism, one must also consider his disability: his stutter. Biden himself has been subjected to vast ableism, especially by right-wing media outlets. Granted, those within the disability community can still be ableist, oftentimes without realizing it. However, due to his acknowledgment and clear regard for disabilities in his plan, one can conclude that he will be an important trailblazer for evolving politics in the right direction.