Understanding Disabilities (for students)

What do you think of when you hear the word disability? Wheelchairs, seeing eye dogs, sign language? Do you think about invisible disabilities? Learning disabilities, such as dyslexia? Mental health conditions, like bipolar disorder? Or chronic illnesses, like diabetes? These are all correct thoughts. It's important to understand that there are many different types of disabilities. Some can be seen, and some cannot. It is also essential to understand that societal stereotypes about disabilities can cause barriers to success for a person with a disability. Remember that there is a person who is using a wheelchair to get around, a person who is using their seeing eye dog to navigate the world, a person who is using sign language to communicate. Many of us have been taught that a disability is a limitation and that all people with disabilities want to be cured. We might think that it is the person with a disability who is responsible for making lifestyle changes and not that it is the world around us that needs to change. But is any of this true? Meet Lily. Lily uses a wheelchair. She rides the bus every day to get to work, but sometimes the lift is broken and she's late. When Lily goes grocery shopping, she has to ask people to help her reach things on the top shelves. Whenever her friends want to go out to dinner, she needs to call ahead to make sure the building has a wheelchair ramp at the entrance and that the bathroom is accessible. Lily recently decided that she wants to move in with her boyfriend, but his building doesn't have an elevator. Lily experiences obstacles because our world was not built for and often does not consider the needs of people with disabilities. This raises a number of questions. Is Lily the problem? Or should all buses have working lifts? Should all grocery stores make sure that their customers can easily shop for what they need? Should all the restaurants be wheelchair accessible and all buildings have elevators? More and more people with disabilities, like Lily, are speaking up about their experiences. They, along with disability advocates, are challenging stereotypes and smashing stigma. They're loudly and proudly advocating for the world to be more inclusive and taking action so that people with disabilities can live free from discrimination. Having a disability does not make you less than. Disability is diversity, and diversity is beautiful. Even if we can't always see it, people with disabilities are all around us, and all of us have a responsibility to make the world more accessible, safe, and equal for people living with disabilities.