Moving from Disability Rights to Disability Justice: The Role of Bioethics in Imagining a More Inclusive and Accessible Future

2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the first federal anti-disability discrimination legislation in the United States. Although individuals with disabilities have made considerable social, economic and political gains since 1973, they still confront structural inequalities in access to healthcare, employment and other areas of public life. This interdisciplinary panel considers the role of bioethics in alleviating these inequalities with an emphasis on intersectionality and disability justice. First, a psychologist compares and contrasts disability rights and disability justice, arguing that both approaches are beneficial for promoting accessibility in different contexts. Second, a political scientist with cerebral palsy explores anti-ableism in clinical ethics consultation, arguing that disability rights legislation is necessary, but not sufficient for ensuring that the consultation process does not exacerbate ableism towards providers and patients with disabilities. Then, a lawyer examines how disability-based abortion restrictions disempowers those with disabilities who wish to become parents. Finally, an early-career bioethicist critically examines the relationship between disability stigma and the construction of public space. Taken together, these presentations articulate a vision for the role of bioethics in the future of disability advocacy.