Todays blog post is about debunking common myths about the disabled, that do not apply to us all! :)
Being disabled does not always mean the famous wheelchair, walking stick or even hearing aid. Having a disability can actually display itself in a thousand different ways or maybe not at all. It all depends on who you are! Something every disabled person has to put up with is judgement. But are the things we are judged on even true? This blog post is all about the myths people have formed around disability and the truth of what it really means!
1. We live in an equal world
Sadly this is not the case. Many able bodied people strongly believe that we live in a world that is equal for everyone, disabled or not. But think back to the last time you saw braille on a restaurant menu? Or a person serve you in a wheelchair? These things happen rarely, but not often enough for it to be considered equal. Disabled people are at a disadvantage in so many cases, from job interviews and accessibility to public transport and stereotyping. But hey at least we get super close parking spaces and free carer tickets as brilliant perks...
2. Disabled spaces are only for wheelchairs
Unfortunately for the vast population in the UK that have invisible disabilities, it is commonly believed that blue badge spaces are strictly for wheelchair users to park in. Though this makes sense as they require lots of space to get in and out, lots of disabilities require the extra space or closer parking also! In fact these spaces are not just for the mobility impaired either, mental disabilities or other physical disabilities can all qualify someone for a blue badge. Don't ever assume that if someone looks healthy they are cheating the system, because 9 times out of 10 they likely have a disability you cannot see :(
3. The disabled have a poor quality of life
Disabled people are often thought to have a poor quality of life. Yes pain sucks and sometimes being disabled sucks too, but I would not change my life for the world :) Me being who I am means I can help people on a daily basis, and I have grown to be a strong, mature and empathetic person. Instead of having a poor quality of life or wallowing in self pity, many disabled people simply see the brighter side of life. We usually realise that we could have had a condition 1000 times worse, and that in the grand scheme of things we are simply lucky to be given the chance to have a life at all. This being said, some disabled people do not have a great quality of life or a good mindset, but this is most certainly not the case for everyone! We all have our own experiences with disability and I do not claim to speak for everyone when I debunk any of these myths, but in my experience my quality of life is no less :)
4. Disability came from incest
Similarly to the parking for wheelchairs the origin of this myth does make some sense. It is true that children born through incest are much more likely to have genetic disabilities due to their gene pool being much smaller. However, incest is not and never has been the cause of widespread disability. I honestly write this expecting no one to believe me when I say I have had at least 10 people genuinely ask me if I have a genetic disorder because of incest, but every day I am realising that this is a somewhat common thought. No, I was not born from incest just like the vast majority of people with disabilities. Statistically you are more likely than anyone else to have a disability if you are born from incest but that does not mean that the majority of disabled people are disabled due to incest.
5. People with disabilities are brave and inspirational for living a successful life.
Yes some disabled people do incredibly well and there is absolutely nothing wrong with being inspired by them. But people with disabilities are often no braver and no more inspirational than someone without a disability. We are all just people, with goals, aspirations and a path in life we want to take :) Sure some disabled people need to take a few more steps before they finish their marathon, but it does not mean we are any more worthy of praise than someone without a disability.
6. We are dying
Of course we are dying! A shock realisation here but everyone is dying as soon as you re born. (a bundle of joy this blog post is turning out to be!) But being disabled is not a death sentence and does not mean we are going to die any sooner than someone else our age. I hope I will live to be at least 80, I may and I may not, but my disabilities are (fingers crossed) not going to hinder me from reaching that age! Just because someone is disabled, it does not always mean they are dying. A wheelchair is not a 'fragile' sign and medication is not always keeping us alive! :)
7. Our lives are totally different.
Believe it or not but... I am engaged, am off to uni, plan to get a full time job when i leave, will soon be living in my own flat, would love to have children one day and am likely to do most things any one else my age would!
The disabled still shop for groceries, still cook dinner, still go out to the cinema, have fun with friends, go to theme parks and even sometimes if they let us out of the prison cells we even go bowling! Jokes aside, being disabled is not a form of house arrest, and we do still go out and do the 'normal' things that everyone else does :)
8. People in wheelchairs cannot walk
Amazingly it is a miracle and at the end of a very long day shopping at milton keynes, i can stand up out of the hire wheelchair and walk off! The looks you get standing up and walking out of a wheelchair are very mixed, some look disgusted like I killed a fairy and others look shocked and impressed as if I was a baby taking their first steps. Not everyone who uses a wheelchair needs one full time, and even people who do use wheelchairs full time are not always paralysed. Think of a wheelchair less like a dictionary to define someone and more like a bicycle. It helps people get around :)
9. Most disabled people are lazy and claim benefits
This is just very untrue! Many disabled people actively choose to work because it would be so boring otherwise. It is no lie that some people exploit the system and claim benefits when they do not necessarily need them, but there is nothing at all wrong with the disabled claiming what they need. Most disabled people work until they are physically unable to do so any longer. And it is not until this point when they begin to rely on benefits. In the UK, we are privileged and very lucky to have a system that can keep us safe and afloat when our health is not good enough to work.
10. Vaccinations cause Autism
This is one of the most controversial topics for parents... 'do vaccines cause autism' and the answer is no. The study that claimed they did was performed on a sample size of children way too small to draw up a correlation. In fact, the scientist who did the study even publicly appologised for his lies and said that he released the information too early because he wanted to make money from his study. Unfortunately by the time he admitted he was wrong the damage had already been done and there is now a huge misconception that autism can be caused by vaccinating your children.
This is not the case, but even if it was, would you rather a child who has autism and is very much alive, or a child who has died of meningitis because you chose not to vacinate them? The reason for the controversy is because not vaccinating your children is incredibly dangerous for younger children who are not yet at vaccination age. If a child has not completed all their vaccinations against a disease, they are still susceptible, meaning if an older child who has not been vaccinated catches the disease, younger children are at immediate risk. Many parents deem it unfair to choose not to vaccinate your children due to the risk it poses on other children. And given that vaccinations are proven not to cause autism, they make a good point! That is a debate for another time though!
I hope you have enjoyed reading about these 10 disability myths! If you have any more myths that you would like me to debunk, just let me know :)
I cannot believe it is now only 23 days until I move! I am still doing my best to do a blog post every day until then!
See you in my next post, Tasha :)
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