| As surprising as it may seem in this era of | | | | work with the challenges of their particular disability, |
| enlightenment and increased awareness, people with | | | | visible or not. |
| disabilities, both visible and non visible continue to be | | | | People with non visible disabilities are sometimes |
| stigmatized by our society. | | | | viewed by others as being malingerers, wanting |
| While we do not provide enough assistance for | | | | attention, or lying. There are many serious conditions |
| people with disabilities in areas of income, | | | | that cannot be "seen", but that are very real and |
| transportation and accessibility, people with visible | | | | just as debilitating. (depression, chronic fatigue, |
| disabilities are not questioned or disbelieved regarding | | | | arthritis, heart conditions, diabetes, crohns disease, |
| their condition. Their challenges can be seen. | | | | etc.) |
| They still face many barriers. It can be challenging to | | | | These attitudes disempower everyone who lives |
| find work, as potential employers cannot see past | | | | with a disability. Most folks are doing the very best |
| the disability; it can be challenging to try to get into | | | | they can, despite the additional challenges they face |
| stores due to the blocked or very narrow aisles, and | | | | in our society. They are to be admired and respected |
| it can be challenging to try to survive financially. | | | | for their tenacity and courage in the face of |
| There are many misconceptions when it comes to | | | | adversity. |
| disability. Most of them diminish the individual. | | | | If your disability can't be seen, you might be judged |
| A friend of mine has a visible disability. She is able to | | | | lazy, and if it can be seen, you might be judged |
| work part time and is also on a partial provincial | | | | incompetent. It can feel like a no-win situation. It |
| pension as well. The treatment she has received | | | | really is hard to believe that these narrow minded |
| from the people who govern this program has been | | | | attitudes still persist in the year 2007. |
| reprehensible at times. | | | | All of us deserve to be respected for who we are. |
| A number of years ago, she was asked to open her | | | | Treat everyone you meet with kindness, love and |
| purse so they could look inside to make sure she | | | | understanding. They may have problems that you |
| didn't have any extra money; and it was insinuated | | | | cannot see and a big dose of kindness will help them |
| that perhaps she was being fraudulent as she | | | | get through another day. At the very least, it will for |
| "couldn't possibly live on so little". (note that it is this | | | | a moment or two, help to diffuse the stress others |
| department who oversee the rates set by the | | | | live with daily. |
| government they work for) Sensitivity training might | | | | For those who may be interested, I'd like to |
| be in order. | | | | recommend a book. It is called Six Degrees of |
| She has to undergo a yearly "assessment" of her | | | | Dignity: Disability in an Age of Freedom and it's |
| disability pension needs. She is forced to justify her | | | | written by David W. Shannon. David is a lawyer who |
| need to be on a disability pension, which in her case is | | | | happens to be a quadriplegic. This book identifies the |
| ridiculous, as her disability has been with her since | | | | social and attitudinal barriers still present in Canadian |
| birth and it isn't going anywhere. It almost falls into | | | | Society |
| the category of harassment by the government and | | | | As a woman I know, who has a non visible disability |
| strips away the dignity of the individual. | | | | says, "If you are a person with a disability, when you |
| Disability brings with it mind numbing fatigue and | | | | feel disillusioned with the people around you, |
| requires a Herculean effort to function. All people | | | | remember that other people's opinion of you does |
| who face a health challenge of any type have had to | | | | not have to be your reality. |
| learn how to adapt in order to accommodate and | | | | |