Thursday, January 28, 2016

What Is The Word Disability?

First off, I hate labelling people. Were not all the same but we are put in the same box. When you label someone with a disability, or mental illness, or behavioural issue, it doesn't really encourage you to see past that. In other words, it doesn't really encourage you to see a whole human being. The word disability comes with a lot of assumptions of what a person is capable of doing. The word "disability" is an umbrella term for physical, learning, and developmental disabilities. It's kind of like how we lump together people of different races and assume they are all similar with similar characteristics (eg. all asians are smart). 

I know what it's like to be in the box. I know what it's like to be trapped in my body, but it doesn't even compare to the feeling of being trapped by that word. It's hard to be on the side and watch everyone play, it's like a game that I'm not a part of. I had to prove to myself and everyone around me of what I can do with my life. There is a lot of things I've done in my life that some people would never dream of doing. Just because I do things in a different way, it doesn't matter because it makes me stronger and believe in what I can do. I've always seen myself as a very able-bodied person. It's hard for the word disability not to be a completely devaluing word when it takes away my power. 

Personally I don't see any need to have this word in society. There's so much stigmatism that comes with it, I believe it does more harm than good. Over the years I have become desensitized to it, but every once in a while it will really sink in and hurt me. If I could take the word and change it I would change it to "I have a life challenge". It is a life challenge that is unique to me, just like everyone else. Even with the life challenge that is not who I am deep down, it is someone who is proud of what they accomplish in life.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

What Is Normal?

We all have a disability, but you can't always see it.  People only see the disability on the outside and that's where they try to label it. I've endured a lot of labels over the course of my lifetime. Everything from handicapped and special needs to idiot and retard. As you might have guessed, I have found most of them inadequete in trying to compartmentalize... I mean describe me. Some are just downright  hurtful. Frankly I believe that words are just words and they shouldn't be used to label people by what you see on the outside. 

Normal for me is how I feel with myself inside. I used to look at both of my sisters and see them as normal. It used to make me really sad. But now that I am older with a little more life experience, I feel like I can finally live my life and do what I want in the way that I can. I feel like I can finally be me! Normal is really what you want it to be, perhaps none of us can truly reach normal in the same way none of us can reach perfection. I hate how we people put labels on everything, it's just wrong. 

More than that, I really feel like this guy's heart is just not in the right place. There is no solid evidence in the article to support this, but just hear me out.. He talks about how people with disabilities picking up the employment rate so it is on par with "normal" or non-disabled people. I feel like perhaps he sees people with disabilities as a burden on the system. Maybe he believes that having a job is the only way a person can contribute to society. Of course I am supportive of people with disabilities being employed, I just don't trust his motives. 

At the end of the day, I really believe that the word normal is not helpful for people in society. I agree with what Mik Scarlet said "If we can get past this idea of normal then we can be truly equal and nobody would need to be described as such".