What is self-disclosure, and would it benefit me?

Throughout my life, I’ve felt comfortable self-disclosing to schools and employers that I have cystic fibrosis (CF). Self-disclosure — defined as “the sharing of personal information with others that they would not normally know or discover” — has allowed me to claim agency and decide what I want shared with others, rather than worrying about what others think of me when I’m absent from school or work.

I consider this a privilege and don’t necessarily recommend that others do it unless they feel comfortable. I feel privileged because most of my jobs were linked to CF in some way. I’ve worked with scientists and clinicians who were familiar with CF and, in most cases, benefited from working with someone who has the disease.

That’s not to say that self-disclosure has always benefited me, though. In one case, I had a bad experience when I disclosed that I had anxiety and depression.

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July 29, 2019 Columns by Tré LaRosa

The Long-term Effect of Disability Language

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, so this week, I’m covering the benefits and risks of disability self-disclosure, and why we deserve a workplace that treats us with dignity and allows us to be the best workers we can be.

Like anything related to having a chronic disease, the choice to self-disclose is deeply personal. It requires a careful weighing of the risks and benefits. It’s also probably a decision we’ve all made several times throughout our lives. We may choose to self-disclose our disability in some situations but not others.

Here are a few questions to consider about self-disclosure:

• Who do you want to disclose to? Is it human resources, supervisors, or peers?
• If you are leaning toward self-disclosure, when do you want to do it? Is it during the interview process, during onboarding, or once you have your footing in the role?
• To what extent do you want to self-disclose? Self-disclosure doesn’t mean sharing all the nuances of your life with a disability.
• What are your goals for self-disclosure? Is it to establish a record to protect yourself in the event of unexpected health challenges? Or is it to get reasonable accommodations? Or both?

Benefits of self-disclosure

Self-disclosure can be gratifying and empowering. It might require that you serve in the role for a few weeks before you know whether or not to self-disclose. I’d argue, however, that it depends on whether you feel comfortable accepting a job before knowing how supportive co-workers will be.

One of the main reasons I’ve self-disclosed so early is that I want to know what the culture of the organization is like before I join. I get a much better picture of that when I self-disclose before accepting a job.

Self-disclosure also has broader implications. Disabilities are common in the United States, affecting some 70 million adults. That means you might have colleagues who haven’t self-disclosed due to fear of discrimination or other reasons. Like you, they are entitled to choose. But ultimately, we all deserve to work in an environment that accepts that no two people are alike.

When a work environment is discriminatory, everyone is discriminated against. Self-disclosure is a way of gaining empowerment and creating a more inclusive and tolerant environment for others who may be less privileged to do so.

Risks of self-disclosure

Self-disclosure does have risks. As we all know, disability protections established by law don’t always prevent discrimination against disabled people. That discrimination isn’t always obvious, and one risk of self-disclosure is that you might not know you’re experiencing discrimination. On the other hand, if you don’t self-disclose to peers and supervisors, you might risk being inappropriately and unfairly misjudged for acceptable work absences or necessary accommodations.

Ultimately, I don’t advocate one way or the other because, as I mentioned, it’s a personal decision with both benefits and risks. Even using the term “disabled” is a personal decision, and not everyone with CF chooses to do so. Most importantly, we must normalize disability in the workplace to ensure that everyone can work with dignity.

I’d love to hear about your experiences. Do you usually choose to self-disclose or avoid it altogether? Please share in the comments below. 

Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.