Think before you Speak

Have you ever thought what it might  be like to live a day in the life of someone with a disability?

The answer is probably yes. Who wouldn't be curious? But the truth is, many of us ( me included) take every day for granted and never truly will understand how it feels to be in someone else's shoes.

 I want to give you a small insight:

So lets date back to the early 20th century when having a disability categorized you as 

feebleminded or invalid. No matter who you were as a person, you were seen as violent and an act of charity. Imagine having a great heart and innocent actions, but yet being labeled as a criminal.... all because of one minor thing that made you slightly different than the rest. These conditions could be as minor as imperfect speech and deformity or as major as paraplegia, but to society back in the day, the severity didn't matter. Because of this mind set, almost all people with disabilities were institutionalized.  Thousands of people were being stripped of their freedom and were living in a world where they were malnourished, neglected, and beaten because of an impairment that is out of his/her control. 

Movement toward Change

The stigma towards people with disabilities will probably never go away. However, as a nation we have made significant progress over the years to form a friendlier environment for our friends who live with disabilities. 

It all started in 1960 when John F. Kennedy was elected president.  Kennedy saw the struggle first hand through his sister, who lived with a  disability since birth. He, along with women in his family, began an empowerment that served to spread awareness about intellectual disabilities. Following Kennedy's movement, others began to take a stand about the neglect of mental retardation. 

These people deserved to live as indecently as possibly while feeling a sense of self-worth about themselves. Throughout the next 10 years, the amount of community residential settings and people living in their own homes had multiplied. People who once were conformed to a state institution, were now being accepted into community colleges and getting jobs. Simply, people living with disabilities were gaining more and more opportunities everyday.  

What WE can do to continue CHANGE 

Believe it or not, it seems like there IS light at the end of the tunnel for those who are living with a disabilities. However, the judgement and labels are indeed still out there. These people are human beings- just like you and me. Therefore, that's how they should be treated. In order for people with disabilities to not feel stereotyped, it is our job to address them in a respectful manner. We must use "person- first language" when talking about someone with a disability. Do not let the disability define him/her as  a person. We must be positive and get rid of negative labels.  Our connotation when talking should be in a positive manner. We must bring attention to the person's strengths, rather than his/her weaknesses. With that being said, if we as a nation can THINK before we SPEAK, we can provide an environment full of respect and dignity for everyone.