Bandwidth taxation
Bandwidth taxation refers to the cumulative cognitive, emotional, logistical, and relational load imposed on families—especially those of disabled or marginalised children—by systems that require constant advocacy, documentation, and procedural navigation in order to access basic rights or support.
It includes the time spent filling out forms, chasing assessments, coordinating therapies, attending meetings, responding to emails, educating professionals, and recovering from institutional harm. But more than that, it reflects the drain on psychic energy, executive function, trust, and relational presence—leaving less room for joy, rest, connection, or even simply being.
Bandwidth taxation is a structural harm. It functions as a quiet but powerful form of gatekeeping, where only those with the capacity to endlessly manage bureaucratic complexity can secure consistent care—and even then, the cost is often unbearable.
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The paperwork trap: when doing everything right becomes your downfall
When parents follow every rule, cite every policy, and document every meeting in the British Columbia public school system, they are often framed as adversaries, not allies. This essay explores how procedural knowledge becomes a liability, how the IEP process punishes fluency as threat, and why the most thorough advocates are the ones most likely…