#IAmDisabled,
isn't everybody?
A blogging friend of mine who writes Adventures of Me has recently come up with a disability awareness campaign called #IAmDisabled.
The more I think about it, the more I think it's a great idea. The premise is simple. Take a hard look in the mirror and answer this question: What is something you can't do that you wish you could do? That's your disability. You are disabled.
To me, it is most powerful and effective if you can come up with something that other humans can do, although you can read here that the responses vary widely.
For me, I said that I would like to be able to speak more clearly so that my husband and others could understand me more of the time. I don't have a speech impediment, but I can mumble a lot. In fact, for New Year's I resolved to work on my speech, but ultimately failed. It did, however, give me a lot of insight into just how hard it is for someone like Malachi to change his habits even when it would benefit him and be easier in the longterm.
That's why I like Nisha's idea: it shows that disability is a spectrum and we are ALL on it to varying degrees. The construct I was given in school — these people are fundamentally different, so they need to stay over here, away from the rest of us — is not only untrue, it's not useful. By identifying the qualities in ourselves that are lacking, we demystify and, more importantly, de-stigmatize the world of disability.
So what is something you can't do that you wish you could? Leave it in the comments below and/or tweet @Nisha360 and be sure to include #IAmDisabled!
The more I think about it, the more I think it's a great idea. The premise is simple. Take a hard look in the mirror and answer this question: What is something you can't do that you wish you could do? That's your disability. You are disabled.
To me, it is most powerful and effective if you can come up with something that other humans can do, although you can read here that the responses vary widely.
For me, I said that I would like to be able to speak more clearly so that my husband and others could understand me more of the time. I don't have a speech impediment, but I can mumble a lot. In fact, for New Year's I resolved to work on my speech, but ultimately failed. It did, however, give me a lot of insight into just how hard it is for someone like Malachi to change his habits even when it would benefit him and be easier in the longterm.
That's why I like Nisha's idea: it shows that disability is a spectrum and we are ALL on it to varying degrees. The construct I was given in school — these people are fundamentally different, so they need to stay over here, away from the rest of us — is not only untrue, it's not useful. By identifying the qualities in ourselves that are lacking, we demystify and, more importantly, de-stigmatize the world of disability.
So what is something you can't do that you wish you could? Leave it in the comments below and/or tweet @Nisha360 and be sure to include #IAmDisabled!
I think this is a creative idea. I have been thinking a lot about "disabilities" and have realized one thing. Those with disabilities are not like us, they are different, because I believe they are better than us. There are a lot of things that have brought me to this conclusion, most of them religious, and I think trying to find our weaknesses is a great idea. We all have something to work on.
ReplyDeleteHey Meggan,
DeleteMy name is Nisha I disagree with you that "disabled" people are better than "able-bodied" people although I have to say most of us "disabled" people can make lemon-aid out of lemons easier than most people :)
Yours truly,
Nisha
PS. Thanks Shasta for writing a post about 'I Am Disabled' ... really appreciate it :)
That's an interesting and bold assertion, Meggan. I don't know if I would agree that people with disabilities are better than us; I think they are us. But certainly they are treated differently and that can lead them in a number of directions that typical people won't go.
DeleteI think this is a great idea! Of course, I'm a little biased, as I am disabled.
ReplyDeleteYOU'RE DISABLED? I had no idea. See? I love the Internet. I didn't even have a chance to treat you differently.
Delete