A Mixed-Method Study on Filipino Women with Mobility Disabilities’ Experiences of Microaggressions

The Philippines has taken proactive steps to ensure equal rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities. However, the promise of disability-responsive and gender-transformative reforms is yet to be fully realized, as women with disabilities continue to face unique forms of discrimination, such as microaggressions, which are often subtle and marginally covered by existing policies in the country. Drawing on Keller and Galgay’s (2010) domains of microaggression and Ancha’s (2022) experiences of microaggressions among women with disabilities in the Philippines, this study utilized a mixed-method design to analyze the experiences of microaggression among women with mobility disabilities in Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Inc. Our findings revealed that while participants had a limited understanding of the concept, they affirmed having experienced different forms of microaggression. Additionally, participants reported experiencing specific forms of microaggression more frequently than others, leading to varying degrees of discomfort and distress. Our study recommends integrating microaggression into the definitions of discrimination, increasing awareness of the concepts within gender and disability inclusion initiatives of organizations, and expanding the literature on gender and disability research. Our paper supports the conference’s objectives by examining locally specific manifestations of microaggressions that are heavily grounded in the lived realities of Filipino women with mobility disabilities and by highlighting the need for decolonized approaches to disability rights and welfare in the Philippines.