International Day of Persons with Disabilities

People have days for everything anymore. However, I am in a wheelchair and have been for over twenty years, so the one that is near and dear to my heart is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

I hope that this article will not only raise awareness of those who live with disabilities but will help them to realize they are not alone.

What is a Disability and an Invisible Disability?

According to the ADA National Network, a person with a disability “has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability.”

The physical or mental impairment can be permanent or temporary and limit the person’s ability to move freely within their environment. For instance, if a person is being treated for cancer and receiving chemo and is unable to move freely within their environment or is in emotional turmoil, they are not considered disabled.

While many disabilities are visible, some disabilities are hidden from the view of others, such as a heart condition. One must be careful to keep in mind that just because a person doesn’t appear in public to be healthy and misusing a handicap placard doesn’t mean they are not disabled.

The ADA

What exactly does the Americans with Disability Act say and do?

The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) is described on the ADA website   as follows:

“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities. The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability just as other civil rights laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. The ADA guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to enjoy employment opportunities, purchase goods and services, and participate in state and local government programs.”

 

One can see how vitally important the ADA is in its ability to guarantee that folks like me can live well in the United States and not be left out of job opportunities or be unable to navigate stairs.

The ADA description of someone with a disability is someone who:

• Has a physical or mental problem that substantially limits major life activities.
• Has a history and/or record of a mental or physical health impairment.
• Others look upon it as having an impairment, such as a person who is scarred from a burn.

If people fall into any of the above categories, the ADA protects them. The ADA is law, and there is no need to apply to be covered.

Things Not Covered by the ADA

Many impairments are not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. All of them are common sense diagnoses where someone may be temporarily impaired but can later return to normal activities.

A few of these conditions include:

• Appendicitis
• Weight conditions
• Minor Depression
• Height deviations
• Having a quick temper
• Physical characteristics such as hair color, sexual orientation, or gender
• Broken bones
• Disorders caused by using illegal drugs

If someone has one of these or other problems, they are not covered and should not apply for permanent disability benefits such as a parking placard. However, there is a temporary placard one can apply for to park closer to a building.

How to React When Meeting a Person with a Disability

People living with a disability, whether visible or invisible, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect just like everyone else. There is a horrible misunderstanding that people with disabilities often are not thought of as equals or as valued members of society.

There is even some hate directed at disabled people because there is the false belief that all are on disability, and some members of our society think it is wrong for them not to work.

However, did you know that people with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the nation?

It is vital to remember that people living with a disability deserve kindness but do not overindulge in helping. Always ask if the person would like help, but accept their answer with grace if they say no.

How Not to React When Meeting a Person with a Disability

There are some things that you should never do when encountering someone with a disability. Included among them is not asking a person in a wheelchair why they are there unless you know the person very well. Really, it is none of your business, just like it is not your business to ask someone why they dress the way they do.

More examples of things not to do when you meet a disabled person such as staring, talking, baby talk and being rude.

Staring. Some people find it necessary to stare at someone who has an obvious disability, such as Tourette’s Syndrome or being in a wheelchair. Just as it is wrong to stare at anyone else, staring at people with disabilities is rude.

Talking Baby Talk. I’ve had people who decided, based on my being in a wheelchair, that I am somehow less intelligent. They proceeded to treat me as a child, including talking to me in a childlike manner. Please do not assume that because someone is different, they deserve to be treated like a child. I am a knowledgeable human who just uses a wheelchair for mobility. Talk to me as you would anyone else.

Being Rude. Sometimes, people have difficulty waiting for someone in a wheelchair to move down a hall or sidewalk. So, they choose to be rude and either speed ahead of the person in the wheelchair or even climb over them. There are other ways people without disabilities treat their disabled brethren, such as taking up an accessible parking space or insisting on pushing someone in a wheelchair when they clearly state they do not want help. Don’t be rude.

The Rights of People with Disabilities

The United Nations has adopted a list of rights that every disabled person should have and is the impetus of many country’s disability laws. Below, find the thirteen rights for disabled people as adopted by the United Nations.

The UN proclaims this Declaration of the rights of disabled persons.

1. The term “disabled person” means any person unable to ensure by himself or herself, wholly or partly, the necessities of a normal individual and/or social life due to deficiency, either congenital or not, in his or her physical or mental capabilities.
2. Disabled persons shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this Declaration. These rights shall be granted to all disabled persons without any exception whatsoever and without distinction or discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, state of wealth, birth, or any other situation applying either to the disabled person himself or herself or to his or her family.
3. Disabled persons have the inherent right to respect for their human dignity. Disabled persons, whatever the origin, nature, and seriousness of their handicaps and disabilities, have the same fundamental rights as their fellow citizens of the same age, which implies, first and foremost, the right to enjoy a decent life as normal and full as possible.
4. Disabled persons have the same civil and political rights as other human beings; paragraph 7 of the Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons applies to any possible limitation or suppression of those rights for mentally disabled persons.
5. Disabled persons are entitled to the measures designed to enable them to become as self-reliant as possible.
6. Disabled persons have the right to medical, psychological, and functional treatment, including prosthetic and orthotic appliances, to medical and social rehabilitation, education, vocational training and rehabilitation, aid, counseling, placement services, and other services that will enable them to develop their capabilities and skills to the maximum and will hasten the processes of their social integration or reintegration.
7. Disabled persons have the right to economic and social security and to a decent level of living. They have the right, according to their capabilities, to secure and retain employment or to engage in a useful, productive, and remunerative occupation and to join trade unions.
8. Disabled persons are entitled to have their special needs taken into consideration at all stages of economic and social planning.
9. Disabled persons have the right to live with their families or with foster parents and to participate in all social, creative, or recreational activities. No disabled person shall be subjected, as far as his or her residence is concerned, to differential treatment other than that required by his or her condition or by the improvement which he or she may derive therefrom. If the stay of a disabled person in a specialized establishment is indispensable, the environment and living conditions therein shall be as close as possible to those of the normal life of a person of his or her age.
10. Disabled persons shall be protected against all exploitation, all regulations, and all treatment of a discriminatory, abusive, or degrading nature.
11. Disabled persons shall be able to avail themselves of qualified legal aid when such aid proves indispensable for the protection of their persons and property. If judicial proceedings are instituted against them, the legal procedure applied shall take their physical and mental condition fully into account.
12. Organizations of disabled persons may be usefully consulted in all matters regarding the rights of disabled persons.
13. Disabled persons, their families, and communities shall be fully informed, by all appropriate means, of the rights contained in this Declaration.

It is crucial to keep in mind, as has been stated, that not all disabilities are visible. Someone may have a heart condition that one cannot see but that limits the person’s ability to walk. Do not jump to conclusions when someone uses a handicap placard but appears healthy. You do not know the road they walk.

Although the United Nations has adopted these rights for people with disabilities, not all countries follow their direction, but most try if they have the means.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Sunday, December 3, 2023, is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. First proclaimed in 1992, the observance aims to promote a better understanding of disability issues and to aid in mobilizing support for the rights, dignity, and well-being of disabled people.

The theme for the observance this year (2023) is “United in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development of goals for, with, and by persons with disabilities. On December 3, 2023, the focus will be on the structure around the five pillars of sustainable development: People, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships.

December 3 is the perfect time to raise awareness, such as in this article, that people with disabilities are not weird or strange. Instead, they are people first and deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and love.

Ending Our Time Together

As someone who has both a physical and emotional disability, I want to thank all of you who make my life easier. Your compassion and caring do not go unnoticed, even if I do not always show gratitude as I should.

There is no reason for people with disabilities to be treated cruelly. We are not “using up your taxes” or “living off the state.” We are people who cannot, in some cases, support ourselves because we cannot work.

It isn’t suitable to be treated as a low-life who is raping the system of money. Disability payments are barely enough to live on, and we are not getting rich off of your money, nor are we your enemy. We are merely human beings who will accept a hand up if we are able and disability checks if we are not.

The next time you meet someone in a wheelchair, I hope you will remember what has been said in this piece.

“When you judge another, you do not define them; you define yourself.”

– Wayne Dyer

“We can never judge the lives of others because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation.” – Paulo Coelho.

PRIDE

 

CPTSD Foundation wishes to invite you to our Pride Program, offered weekly on Circle. In Pride, we discuss important topics related to complex trauma and how it has affected our lives. The program is led by a fantastic person who personally understands the issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community.

Come as you are, take what you like, and leave the rest.

The program is offered every Thursday at 7 pm Eastern time through the Circle app. If you are interested, you can find information here. If you are interested, please get in touch with the support team of the CPTSD Foundation and sign up.

We look forward to seeing you there.