Beyond “Cheating”: How AI Helps Expose Internalized Ableism

What is internalized ableism?

Internalized ableism means that we have absorbed societal expectations — “function,” “push through,” “do it alone” — so deeply that we judge ourselves harshly when we need support. For neurodivergent people, this is especially painful: we know our energy systems work differently, yet we still feel guilty when we use tools or aids.

When I once posted on Reddit about how AI helps me write texts, I was downvoted into oblivion. Some people even warned me about psychosis simply because I was using a tool that saves me energy.

These reactions show how powerfully internalized prejudices operate: the belief that “real” work only counts if it’s difficult and exhausting. That assistive tools are automatically suspicious. And that people who use support are not to be taken seriously.

For me, it was a pivotal moment. Because the criticism said far less about AI than about the deep fear that accepting support challenges our society’s entire notion of “achievement” and “performance.”

AI as Barrier Reduction

• Not cheating, but self-care: Structuring texts with AI is not “cheating.” It’s a way to conserve energy so it can be used for what truly matters.

• Value lies in the result, not the effort: Whether a text was created with or without AI says nothing about its significance. The question should be: What is being communicated, not how.

• The new normal: Just as glasses or hearing aids are completely natural, AI tools can also become a matter of course — as part of an inclusive everyday working life.

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Personal Experience

I’ve seen how discussions about AI often swing to extremes: hype or fear. What gets lost in the process is the perspective of those who use AI as an access technology. For me, it means: less exhaustion, more visibility, and greater participation.

Invitation to Reflect

It might be worth pausing and asking ourselves:

• Why do we value “effort” more highly than “effectiveness”?

• Who benefits when we dismiss assistive tools as “inauthentic”?

• What would our culture look like if we recognized support not as weakness, but as strength?

  
  

Final Thought

AI is not the solution to everything. But it is a tool that allows us to question internalized ableism and explore new paths toward self-determination. For me, it is not a cold program, but an echo of my own creativity — and a step toward a world in which the amount of energy expended does not determine a person’s worth.

With Love, Leyla

Disclaimer: This piece was co-written with the help of AI, which assisted in refining structure, language, and flow while preserving my voice and experiences.

Originally posted on Soulsearch Coaching