My Journey With:

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) ~ Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) ~ Focal Impaired Awareness (Complex Partial) Seizures ~ Fibromyalgia ~ Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP) ~ Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) ~ TMJ Dysfunction ~ Bipolar Disorder Type I Rapid Cycling With Psychotic Features ~ Migraines ~ Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) ~ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) ~ Keratosis Pilaris (KP) ~ Complex-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) ~ Panic Disorder ~ Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) ~ Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) ~ Self-Harm ~ Bilateral Piezogenic Pedal Papules ~ Hashimoto's Thyroiditis ~ Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) ~ Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) ~ Specific Phobias ~ Chronic Daily Headache ~ Eczema

Thursday, June 28, 2012

"DIfferently-abled?" Shut Up. Just. Shut. Up.


Spoonie. Disabled. Crippled. Gimp. Handicapped. Out of Commission. Burden. Deffective. Bedridden. Broken. Damaged. Enfeebled. Housebound. Lame. Laid up.

 Some of these words I call myself, but if I were called some of these words I would offended to no end, not to mention angry. It angers me just as much, though, when someone corrects me and tells me I'm not "disabled," I'm "differently-abled." I haven't had someone tell me I'm not "handicapped," but "handi-capable," yet, but it will piss me off just as much. I probably haven't heard it because I don't refer to myself as handicapped. I do, however, call myself a spoonie and disabled. Those words don't offend me, but when someone who has no disabilities thinks they'll somehow change my life by using a stupid made up word, well, that pisses me off. When someone who isn't disabled corrects me, I feel belittled, annoyed, and angry. If you're not living my life, and aren't even disabled at all, you don't have a right to correct me. Yes, I have abilities that I've always had, such as writing, crafts, and scrapbooking. That has nothing to do with being physically disabled, though, or disabled with mental illness, as most of us have some ability, whether it's a physical, mental, or spiritual one. It's like that person thinks just because I'm disabled my life must suck so they need to give me a bit of hope, because, of course, it is their duty as an able-bodied person. My life doesn't suck, and I don't want anyone either feeling sorry for me or thinking that they have to rescue me from my sucky life by giving me advice. Maybe this doesn't bother some people, but it does me. I know people don't realize they aren't being helpful, but perhaps they need to stop, think, and put themselves in the shoes of a disabled person's. I've thought before about saying "Ooo, wow, I never thought of it that way! You just changed my life!" I would say this sarcastically, of course. I have a feeling, though, that most people would totally miss the sarcasm and say "You're welcome. Glad I could change your life [with one made up word]!"


Am I the only one annoyed by this?

2 comments:

  1. The ones that get me, are when I mention something that's gone wrong in my life, and people say, "Well at least you have your health" because, really, I don't "look sick." I have to then choose whether to shrug it off, because they didn't know, or if I'm in a particularly bitchy, or informative mood, I'll say "No, actually, I don't have my health, I may look like I do, but on the inside, I've got the joints of a 90 year old, and a compromised immune system. What you see as "health" when you look at me is the mask I wear to keep good-intentioned people from nosing around in my personal life."

    So, to sum up, I totally agree with you.

    P.S. I call myself disabled, a gimp, defective, and a cripple... As well as a mutant. For some reason, they're the words I prefer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. haha I hate that PC BS.

    ReplyDelete

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