ABLEISM

 

Scrolling through my IG feed the other day, I came across a reel showcasing a mother and her precious baby girl. They were quite the adorable duo, giggling, singing and playing with pure joy. 

What made this mommy moment stand out  was that she (@the.annegirl) lives with disabilities, and was courageously showing how she manages her seizures when alone with her babygirl.  I was so impressed with her willingness to share & educate but even more how much time she has taken to prepare/plan for these episodes, to keep she and her baby safe. 

A quick glance at the comments and although overwhelming positive, I was disappointed, disgusted and annoyed with those keyboard ninjas, that had unkind words only because of her disability. As I stated on her feed, Ableism is very much alive and well. Too often healthier, able bodied individuals operate with an enormous sense of entitlement. For those that may not understand, Ableism is a form of discrimination. By definition it is social prejudice & discrimination against people with disabilities.

It sickens me that people seem to forget that living with disabilities does NOT define who you are.  For those of us that weren't born with a disability, -mine appeared later in life- we had a full life before the disease or the injury reared it's head.

We had careers, enjoyed an array of activities, traveled and some had children------ just like anyone else. What makes us different is that we live in bodies that for whatever reason, no longer support us in the manner it once did. Some disabilities can be seen and other chronic conditions are pretty much invisible, either way we press on and strive to maintain whatever semblance of our "normal" lives as possible.

Chronic conditions are exhausting in every way--mentally,  physically, and emotionally. Trust, an overall healthy person could not tolerate a fraction of the pain most people with chronic illness endure on a daily basis. Everyday is a surprise. A new manifestation of one of the conditions you live with. While we ( warriors) adapt, adjust and rely on our village for support, it would be refreshing if we didn't have to exert unnecessary energy defending our decisions or explaining things such as why we're in a disabled parking spot when we can walk. 

The fight against Ableism is constant and tiresome. Sometimes it's blatant and in your face, other times it's those micro aggressions that make you want to scream!!  My faith in Christ grounds me and I know God will never give me more than I can bear. I trust that even this disease....all things work together for good. Sadly, I don't expect the ignorance and insensitivity towards the disabled community  to disappear any time soon. 

My sincere hope is that through my writing and hopefully people sharing such, living with purpose and showing up everyday --in spite of it all-- I hope will being awareness , education, empathy and maybe a return to common sense. Our bodies may not outwardly look quite like your average healthy body-- but whether we're walking with a cane, rolling with a rollator, or swerving in a mobility scooter...we're here. We're competent. We're complete and we're not going anywhere. Til next time. N. 🪷

#disability #discrimination #mobility #disabled #ableism