|
|
Disabled. As a child, this word automatically had a negative connotation to me. From what I could understand, it referred to people who were chronically ill, or people in wheelchairs, or people who spoke or acted differently. In our society, a common theme that we are taught is different = weird or bad. When I was younger, and even now, there was such a lack of awareness regarding disabilities. 64 million adults in the U.S. (24%), have disabilities, yet many of us are still ignorant about the topic as a whole. Only recently have I started to unlearn assumptions and myths that I once thought to be factual. Thanks to social media and the many other resources I now have, I’m able to expand my knowledge and share it with others, as I am doing now.
The word “disability” is extremely broad and is used as an umbrella term for a variety of conditions. According to the CDC, “A disability is any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them.” The main categories for these conditions are: Physical, intellectual, psychiatric, hearing, vision, neurological, and acquired Brain Injury (ABI).
Physical
Physical conditions are what people often think of first when disabilities are brought up. This is likely because physical conditions affect noticeable parts or functions of the body. Some well-known examples are scoliosis and cerebral palsy. These conditions are due to impaired neuromusculoskeletal systems, which include the muscles, nerves, and bones. A few more examples are the absence/deformities of limbs, paraplegia (paralysis of the legs and lower body), and motor neurone disease. According to the Bureau of Internet Accessibility, 39 million people in the U.S. are affected by physical disabilities.
Intellectual
Intellectual conditions appear from ages 0-18, referred to as the developmental period. They can include difficulties in learning, communication, self-care skills, or social skills. You may be familiar with down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit disorder (ADD). These conditions can be the result of genetic disorders or birth defects.
Psychiatric
Psychiatric conditions are most often referred to as “mental illnesses”. They are essentially conditions that affect behaviour patterns and functioning in social settings. Anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and depression are all examples of this. People tend to forget that psychiatric conditions are in fact, disabilities.
Hearing and Vision
Hearing disabilities refer to deafness and hearing loss/impairment, and vision disabilities refer to vision impairment. People often misunderstand these types of disabilities. Many assume that all deaf people cannot speak or understand people without sign language, and all blind people have absolutely no vision. These stereotypes and expectations are damaging, and it is important to know that people who have similar conditions are not a monolith.
Neurological and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Neurological disabilities and acquired brain injuries are types of conditions that occur after birth.
People with disabilities are an underrepresented group in the U.S. and in numerous countries, and their struggles are often disregarded. While doing more research about this topic, I was not surprised but disheartened by the information I found. A major issue for those with physical disabilities is accessibility. Manmade obstacles like stairs, curbs and even weighing scales for those who cannot stand all hinder access. Institutional barriers are especially harmful, as they are roadblocks woven into laws and policies. People with disabilities are denied access to programs and services as a consequence. Most times, it is simply a lack of awareness and not because of intended discrimination, yet it has a large impact on many lives. Policy barriers even have a significant effect on workplace experiences, as people with disabilities are denied certain accommodations. On that same note, the low employment rate for people with disabilities is concerning and must be acknowledged. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17.9% of people with disabilities were employed in 2020. This is partially due to the Covid-19 pandemic, during which about 1 million people with disabilities lost their jobs.
Despite these difficulties and barriers, there are steps we can take to create a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. Properly teaching children about these topics from an early age would be helpful, as it would eliminate prejudice. This could be done by promoting the social inclusion of students with disabilities and even integrating people with disabilities into curriculums. Another important step would be re-evaluating policies that continue to put people with disabilities at a disadvantage. Employers must also realize that people with disabilities are fully capable of fulfilling tasks and be willing to provide accommodations. Lastly, we must take the time to learn about disabilities and reflect on our biases. These are only a few examples of the action we can take as allies to the disability community. It’s important to do your own research and show support in any way that you can. I hope that you learned something new and that you feel inspired to take actions!
Works Cited
“Disability and Health Overview.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Sept. 2020, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability.html.
“Disability Types and Descriptions.” National Disability Services, www.nds.org.au/disability-types-and-descriptions.
“Barriers to Disability Inclusion.” GSDRC, 3 Dec. 2015, gsdrc.org/topic-guides/disability-inclusion/barriers-to-disability-inclusion/.
“Persons with A Disability: Labor Force Characteristics — 2020.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24 Feb. 2021.
“10 Ways to Make Society More Inclusive for People with Disabilities.” 10 Ways to Make Society More Inclusive for People with Disabilities | One Young World, www.oneyoungworld.com/blog/10-ways-make-society-more-inclusive-people-disabilities.
The word “disability” is extremely broad and is used as an umbrella term for a variety of conditions. According to the CDC, “A disability is any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them.” The main categories for these conditions are: Physical, intellectual, psychiatric, hearing, vision, neurological, and acquired Brain Injury (ABI).
Physical
Physical conditions are what people often think of first when disabilities are brought up. This is likely because physical conditions affect noticeable parts or functions of the body. Some well-known examples are scoliosis and cerebral palsy. These conditions are due to impaired neuromusculoskeletal systems, which include the muscles, nerves, and bones. A few more examples are the absence/deformities of limbs, paraplegia (paralysis of the legs and lower body), and motor neurone disease. According to the Bureau of Internet Accessibility, 39 million people in the U.S. are affected by physical disabilities.
Intellectual
Intellectual conditions appear from ages 0-18, referred to as the developmental period. They can include difficulties in learning, communication, self-care skills, or social skills. You may be familiar with down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit disorder (ADD). These conditions can be the result of genetic disorders or birth defects.
Psychiatric
Psychiatric conditions are most often referred to as “mental illnesses”. They are essentially conditions that affect behaviour patterns and functioning in social settings. Anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and depression are all examples of this. People tend to forget that psychiatric conditions are in fact, disabilities.
Hearing and Vision
Hearing disabilities refer to deafness and hearing loss/impairment, and vision disabilities refer to vision impairment. People often misunderstand these types of disabilities. Many assume that all deaf people cannot speak or understand people without sign language, and all blind people have absolutely no vision. These stereotypes and expectations are damaging, and it is important to know that people who have similar conditions are not a monolith.
Neurological and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Neurological disabilities and acquired brain injuries are types of conditions that occur after birth.
People with disabilities are an underrepresented group in the U.S. and in numerous countries, and their struggles are often disregarded. While doing more research about this topic, I was not surprised but disheartened by the information I found. A major issue for those with physical disabilities is accessibility. Manmade obstacles like stairs, curbs and even weighing scales for those who cannot stand all hinder access. Institutional barriers are especially harmful, as they are roadblocks woven into laws and policies. People with disabilities are denied access to programs and services as a consequence. Most times, it is simply a lack of awareness and not because of intended discrimination, yet it has a large impact on many lives. Policy barriers even have a significant effect on workplace experiences, as people with disabilities are denied certain accommodations. On that same note, the low employment rate for people with disabilities is concerning and must be acknowledged. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17.9% of people with disabilities were employed in 2020. This is partially due to the Covid-19 pandemic, during which about 1 million people with disabilities lost their jobs.
Despite these difficulties and barriers, there are steps we can take to create a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. Properly teaching children about these topics from an early age would be helpful, as it would eliminate prejudice. This could be done by promoting the social inclusion of students with disabilities and even integrating people with disabilities into curriculums. Another important step would be re-evaluating policies that continue to put people with disabilities at a disadvantage. Employers must also realize that people with disabilities are fully capable of fulfilling tasks and be willing to provide accommodations. Lastly, we must take the time to learn about disabilities and reflect on our biases. These are only a few examples of the action we can take as allies to the disability community. It’s important to do your own research and show support in any way that you can. I hope that you learned something new and that you feel inspired to take actions!
Works Cited
“Disability and Health Overview.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Sept. 2020, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability.html.
“Disability Types and Descriptions.” National Disability Services, www.nds.org.au/disability-types-and-descriptions.
“Barriers to Disability Inclusion.” GSDRC, 3 Dec. 2015, gsdrc.org/topic-guides/disability-inclusion/barriers-to-disability-inclusion/.
“Persons with A Disability: Labor Force Characteristics — 2020.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24 Feb. 2021.
“10 Ways to Make Society More Inclusive for People with Disabilities.” 10 Ways to Make Society More Inclusive for People with Disabilities | One Young World, www.oneyoungworld.com/blog/10-ways-make-society-more-inclusive-people-disabilities.
|
Join the CommunityThe United States of America
|
Read Our Stories
|