How much progress has been made since Mairs wrote disability?

In Nancy Mairs’ essay "Disability" in 1986, several key observations about society's attitude towards disability were brought to light. Much work has been done, but most of her observations can still be observed in present times.

For instance, Mairs' critique of the lack of representation in the media holds even today. She documented firsthand her observation about the absence of disabled persons in television and commercials. Today, even with an improvement, only 3.5% of characters in television have disabilities and, according to the CDC, 26% of adults in America have disabilities. That disparity confirms Mairs' observation about society's view of disabled persons as if they are "invisible".

Her observations of employment discrimination also continue today. According to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, the percentage of employed people with a disability was 22.5%, whereas people without a disability had 65.8% employment. Additionally, the wage gap is very clear, with disabled workers receiving about 87 cents for every dollar earned by a non-disabled worker.

Mairs' use of direct language without resorting to euphemisms remains one of the most contentious issues in disability advocacy today. While many still prefer person-first language, such as "person with a disability," rather than identity-first language, such as "disabled person," many activists today share Mairs’ drive for straightforward terminology that treats disability as an integral part of society rather than something to be minimized or hidden.

Accessibility in public places is, however, one area where real progress has been made. The Americans with Disabilities Act passed four years after her essay, has enforced physical accessibility in ways she could only hope for. But enforcement is imperfect, with an estimated 73% of businesses failing to fully comply with ADA requirements, suggesting her broader critiques about societal attitudes remain true.