Dispelling the myths about a community
1. Disability is a one-size-fits-all term
Disability encapsulates an incredibly wide range of conditions and circumstances, and there is no right or wrong way to be disabled, and it is illogical to pretend that there is.
2. High functioning and productive disabled people don’t suffer as much
Chronic conditions and disabilities can fluctuate in severity. A person’s work ethic and capabilities are not an accurate indicator for the severity of their condition, we just become used to which routines work for us.
3. Disability aids are an invitation to ask about someone’s medical history
Whether it is mobility aids, prosthetic limbs or nebulisers, these conversations should only take place when instigated by the individuals themselves, no matter how close you are to them.
4. Disabled toilets are for wheelchair users only
Many “hidden” conditions necessitate their use, and this is not something that should be questioned.
5. Disability = Asexuality
While some conditions can make sex more complicated, a disability is not a sentence to a life without intimacy. Societal views on what sex is may be to blame for this idea. Sex is so much more than missionary penetration.
6. Disabled folk don’t mind, or see, you staring
Can you even imagine how hurtful and anxiety inducing it can be to not be able to even go to a shop without people staring at you, or whispering to each other, or confronting you as to why you “look” like that?
7. Disabled people are “inspirational”
While often not ill-intentioned, hailing disabled folk for merely existing often contributes to the sensationalism attached to disability, almost infantilising people through applause for completing mundane tasks.
8. Chronic illness and disability are consistent and straightforward
As someone with a chronic illness myself, no two days look the same. Condition flare-ups are often unpredictable, and time periods between these episodes can vary from person to person. Treatment plans are not always linear with recovery and improvement, either. Often, managing chronic conditions is more about taking things one step at a time, than it is following a straight line from bad to better.