Nobody like that here, no

Posted by Katja on 28 July 2008 | Permalink
Filed under disability
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On disability forums, you sometimes see thread titles that just make you want to shake your head:

My first reaction is to say, no, never - nobody’s dating, nobody’s raising kids, nobody’s got a job. That’s for regular people. Don’t you know we all just sit in our houses and watch TV?

I don’t say this, but it makes me sad that people even need to ask.

Comments

8 Responses to “Nobody like that here, no”

  1. Christiane on July 28th, 2008 15.26

    So true.

  2. Penny on July 29th, 2008 7.04

    The assumptions they about disability are a real problem, but questions like that on any forum also reveal that the asker hasn’t taken even ten minutes to read through a few past messages before posting–and that’s just rude.

  3. stephen on July 29th, 2008 9.02

    since there are no wheelies ON tv, dating, raising children, having lives, one must assume that there are no wheelies doing any of those things. if there were, they’d certainly be on tv. right?

  4. charlotte ferris on July 29th, 2008 15.57

    According to how I’ve seen the media represent us pop-culturally, we don’t have the time or the drive to lead plain ol’ordinary lives; we’re too busy being either Super-Something-Miracles or Warped & Slightly-Evil Beings w/ Context-Related Chips on Our Shoulders.

  5. Dirty Butter on July 31st, 2008 12.56

    Well, you can be on TV around here, thanks to the Lakeshore Para OLympics Training Center in Birmingham, Al, if you are involved in sports there.

    Many years ago we invited one of our student’s grandmothers to come and talk and demonstrate to our class how wheelies do ordinary things. She even demonstrated how she used the toilet (up to a point, of course). I learned a lot that day!!!

  6. Paul L on August 3rd, 2008 6.37

    Some disabled people cope brilliantly with life, some not so well and some terribly. Individuals coping skills are varied, as they are with non disabled people. But long term disability and poor health can reduce opportunity for employment, social and travel opportunities.

    Disability Now magazine (uk publication) has articles that illustrate this diversity but there are also stories of young disabled people ending up in nursing homes. Please spare a thought for those who fail to create lives for themselves.

  7. Katja on August 3rd, 2008 14.01

    Paul, good points - thank you for the reminder.

  8. JRS Medical on August 20th, 2008 15.23

    This reminds me of Bill Engvall where he says…. “Here’s your sign“… for all of those people that say stupid things with obvious answers. Great post!!