Disability And The General Public. Some things Ive noticed.

[RAWRzilla 0]

Hi.

 

My name's Kristina.

 

I'm 14 years old, and I'm from Liverpool.

 

I have Aspergers Syndrome, an Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

 

I am Asthmatic.

 

I have Eczema.

 

I am short sighted.

 

I am extremely allergic to house dust mites.

 

I get hayfever.

 

I suffer from chest and stomach migraines.

 

I am currently on a few different kinds of medication.

 

My Sister is Dyslexic, Dyspraxic, and has Irlens Syndrome.

 

My Mum is also Dyslexic, and suffers with severe Psoriatic Arthritis and Sciatica, among other things. She also has Irlens Syndrome. She occasionally uses an electric wheelchair. She is a manager working in Supported accomodation and Ex Co-Chairperson of the Merseyside Coalition for Inclusive Living [MCIL].

 

My Nan is Dyslexic with Irlens Syndrome, and before he passed away, my Grandad suffered with severe Asthma and Heart conditions.

 

My best friend is a Dyslexic girl with Irlens Syndrome, ADHD, Autism, and many other so-called "Disabilities".

 

Laurence Clark is one of my favourite comedians, as well as a family friend, and I was lucky enough to get to see the Preview of the show he is currently touring with "12% Evil", which he finished writing the night before we saw it. (It's excellent, by the way!) I am also an avid fan of the DADA fest, and went to see the Nasty Girls' Production "A Nasty Night Out" last year. It was INCREDIBLE. I think the best part of these kind of shows has to be the people that aren't sure weather or not to laugh! They think it's funny, but at the same time. they think "We can't laugh at them! They're disabled!" Thankfully, they tend to get used to it (or it'd be a pretty big bummer for your average disabled Comedian).

 

As you may have guessed, I was brought up surronded by disability, and fo me it is definately just one of those things that are very much the "Norm".

 

Hence, as you may also have guessed, I have a very different viewpoint on it than most people.

 

Going through the section on Disability in this forum has left me nothing short of aghast, because with regards to the way people refer to disabled people, particularly people with conditions similar to my own, I have lead very much a sheltered life.

 

Quite frankly, I am EXTREMELY shocked at the way people refer to - and appear to actually VIEW - the Disabled community.

 

"Developmentally Delayed Children"

 

"Do you believe people should receive free gov. benefits?"

 

"I have had the honor to actually interact with them and understand them"

 

"All people who are disabled, my sympathy and prayers are with you"

 

"Worst thing that could ever happen to anyone. I too believe they are sent down by god as a sign.

 

My prayers are with all the Disabled children. It sometimes makes you cry thinking about their future."

 

"mental retardation."

 

"Its so sad people have to put up with this."

 

"Autism is a part of a spectrum of special education."

 

"early intervertion."

 

"this illness."

 

"whoever works with children like that is awesome."

 

The above are all quotes taken from this forum. I am not saying that any of the above quotes are deliberately written with intention to discriminate. Nor am I writing this in an attempt to accuse or attack the people who said these things. I posted these to show my shock at how uneducated the general public seems to be on the topic of disability (in my opinion). Some of the posters are people speaking from personal experience of being, knowing, or working with a disabled person.

 

I am posting this in an attempt to say that regardless of what you think you already know or have experienced...

 

Disability is not necessarily a BAD thing. (Despite the unfortunate name.)

 

People with disabilities are not "special" they are no more difficult to work with than your average person, they are not "retarded" - an extremely disablist word which has wormed it's way into modern culture, and is currently used en masse by millions of people who simply are not aware of it's background.

 

Next time any of you are about to use the word "retard" or a word containing it, or the words "spazz" or "mong" for that matter, think of them in likeness to the "N" word in relation to the Black community and then... Don't say it!

 

Disability is not a scourge, some deadly disease or illness that must be squashed, or something with which you should feel compelled to intervene. In many cases, it has shown to be very enabling, with members of the Disabled community going above and beyond what any "normal" person would be considered to be realistically capable of.

 

Most disabled people do not want sympathy for the way they are, and many embrace themselves and their medical condition, whatever it may be, and get on with their lives. They don't see it as something to put up with, and it's often no different to communicate with a disabled person as it is with any member of the so-called "non-disabled" community.

 

The vast majority of disabled people live very fulfilling lives, regardless of whatever people think is "wrong" with them. Being disabled or Autistic is certainly not the worst thing that could ever happen to someone.

 

The disability is often never the problem. It is the reaction of those around you to that disability that can cause emotional and physical damage.

 

I hope I did not cause offence to anyone here in this message, or come off as though criticizing your remarks or opinions, and I really hope that after reading this topic you no longer see disability as necessarily a bad thing - I hope even more that you never saw it as a bad thing anyway!

 

I guess that's it from me, and I'm always open to anyone else's opinion on the Public's view of disabled people, and if anyone disagrees with me or wants to say anything about my opinion or anything I've said, get back to me and I'll be sure to reply.

[Hirishiolo 0]

Hi,I work in an organitazion that help children that have disabilities...They are sweet and love me like a brother..they have always smile on their face and I love to make they happy...They are people that really love the others..

[jlhaslip 4]

rawrzilla,Thank you for your helpful and informative posting.It acts as a reminder that the Human condition should be viewed from a relative perspective, and that the 'labels' we place on others should be carefully considered before we place them. Indeed, there is a need for the message you offer to be promoted, and feel free to continue your efforts on this Forum.

[musicmaza 0]

hithanx for the very helpful and informative posting many of us can a lesson from it.its a sign towards positivity in life......

[travstatesmen 0]

That was an excellent topic opener, RAWRzilla, and it gave me much to think about. I have a particular interest in this topic, and I know that my wife will pop into this thread soon enough to elaborate. I wanted to take up two issues that you have raised and discuss them further.

 

Disability is not a scourge, some deadly disease or illness that must be squashed, or something with which you should feel compelled to intervene.

The Christian church is often one of the biggest culprits in this type of attitude. As well-meaning as Christians are, wanting to pray for healing of people with disabilities, wanting to see the miraculous power of Jesus Christ restoring whatever it is that is ailing them, sometimes God may have plans for people who have disabilities that may not necessarily involve them being healed. Take, for instance, Joni Eareckson Tada, a well-known American Christian author, artist, and disability advocate, who was left wheelchair-bound after a diving accident. Her Christian ministry has been much more prominent and powerful since she became disabled. Sometimes it seems that people with disabilities who are in the Christian church, but who never get "a touch from God" are made to feel inadequate because they are seen to lack the faith to be healed! As if it is their fault that God is not healing them. Remember, even when Jesus was walking on the Earth, he did not heal everybody. For instance, the miracle at the pool of Bethesda, as told in John 5:1-16, occurred in a place where there was a large number of people with disabilities, gathered together in one place, seeking the healing given by the waters of the pool. But when Jesus came along, of all the people gathered there, he only is recorded as having healed one of them. As RAWRzilla implied in the post above, many people with disabilities are not constantly seeking to be "healed", or to be "fixed". They don't consider themselves to be "broken", and so don't need to be "fixed".

 

Next time any of you are about to use the word "retard" or a word containing it, or the words "spazz" or "mong" for that matter, think of them in likeness to the "N" word in relation to the Black community and then... Don't say it!

I don't totally agree with RAWRzilla on this, and I find it quite interesting that she compared the use of the terms "retard" and "spazz" to that of the "N" word used to denigrate dark-skinned peoples. The issue that I wanted to raise about this is that the "N" word is commonly used amongst dark-skinned peoples themselves. You only have to listen to the lyrics of some of the songs by artists such as Lil Wayne, Nas, Yung Berg, Mos Def, and David Banner to know what I'm talking about. And the same often goes for people with disabilities. My wife and I know many, many people who have disabilities. It is quite common for them to call each other "retard" or "spazz". I'm sure that someone who is not a part of that community could not get away with it so lightly, just as a white guy using the "N" word might not be as appropriate in situations where that word is commonly being used in the context of their community. But there is valid scope for these terms to be used in context. RAWRzilla even points to such comedians as Laurence Clark (whom, to my shame, I had never heard of before). We have a similar disabled comedian here downunder, known as Steady Eddy, who also, being disabled himself, is quite at liberty to poke fun at all things disabled related. How politically incorrect to make fun of disabilities?! How politically incorrect to use the "N" word (that which we dare not even give voice to, for fear that we will be struck down by lightening or something). And yet, people within those communities are doing it all the time, and it is accepted as normal.

[wingman23 0]

Thanks raw for that very brave post, its so nice to hear from someone so young with your conditions, and i must say that your post helped me a lot. I have a baby son, just gone 1 year old who was born with cerebral palsy, and the worry of how his life will be in the future can really be heartbreaking at times, when as a parent you dare to even think about it that is. he does get lot of help from the nurses in the community, but in a few years there will be school looming and the worry of how he will be seen, treated by others when eventually we have to let him go from under our wing a little. I just wished more people in our society were more aware of the people that are inside the bodys that just dont work right for them and would stop judging for what they see.

[Unknown_99 0]

People with physical impairments, malformations, whatever you want to call it, are normal as far as I'm concerned. You are only disabled only when you let such things stop you. Aside from that, I think people with 'Disabilities', as you placed it, should have the option not to accept those free things the US gov. gives them if they do not need them. Give a person fish and he will live for a day. Teach him how to fish and he'll live forever...[or something close to those lines....]

[networker 0]

Unfortunately it's easy for people to stigmatizepeople.As goes the old expression goes,you don'tknow what it's like until you walk in someoneelses shoes. At the same time though,certain 'disabilities'can really inspire people to higher levels(i,eTerry fox,Stevie Wonder, Django Reinhart). Hopefully we can educate people better to bemore understanding.

Edited December 22, 2008 by networker (see edit history)