Getting Lost in the Shuffle

What does this sign mean to you?

Looks like it’s time to get on the soapbox again. Before I begin, my Medium “bio” proudly states that among other things, I am an “advocate.” What that means, to in my personal opinion, is that I raise awareness on issues that I feel that affect me. One of those issues is disability.

Some time ago, I had written this about my own experiences living with a permanent physical disability. Then, after I had published that, I had to go back on Medium and read up on all the wonderful and also the not so flattering things written about discrimination. Sexism, racism, and most other “isms” that continue to plague humans and affect the human condition in one way or another.

What I found was a distinct lack of other writers who have written on the subject of disability advocacy. Quite frankly, I’m in the extremely unique position to write about it because, luckily, my mental faculties aren’t impaired to the point where it makes my voice unintelligible.

Some statistics to consider, courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, on disability:

  1. “Nearly 57 million Americans or 19% of our nation’s total population are living with a disability. That means that 1 in 5 Americans have a disability.” [That’s me!]
  2. “30.6 million have difficulty walking or climbing stairs and use a wheelchair, crutches or a walker.” [That’s me!]
  3. “Adults with disabilities, between the ages of 21 and 64, earn a median income of $1,964 per month. Non disabled earn a median income of $2,724 per month.” [That’s a difference of $760 per month!!!]

4. “41 percent of those age 21 to 64 with any disability were employed, compared with 79 percent of those with no disability.” [Disabled people are woefully under-employed!]

5. “Along with the lower likelihood of having a job came the higher likelihood of experiencing persistent poverty; that is, continuous poverty over a 24-month period. Among people age 15 to 64 with severe disabilities, 10.8 percent experienced persistent poverty; the same was true for 4.9 percent of those with a nonsevere disability and 3.8 percent of those with no disability.”[That means, the disabled have to deal with not only their own limitations, but relatively few means of getting out of poverty, most barely making ends meet.]

I could go on and on with more statistics but I think that the point I’ve made here is clear: Disabled Americans (as well as those disabled populations globally) need more advocacy, they need more voices like mine and yours to speak up and help make a difference!!

I’m relatively fortunate, my disability hasn’t taken my voice away. But so many others out there, many of them much more severely handicapped than I, don’t have a voice. Who will have the courage to stand up for them? If not me, then whom?

Isn’t it time that their cries for help and acceptance be heard? Who is willing to stand up and speak for them? Will society continue to turn a blind eye and look away, effectively condemning them as “second rate citizens”?

But raising awareness isn’t enough. It’s only the first step. Here’s some suggestions on how you can help:

  1. Do some research. Google on disabilities that you are personally interested in learning more about such as Muscular Dystrophy (MD), Cerebral Palsy (which is what I have) or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) just to name a few.
  2. Volunteer to help local disability organizations and charities. Special Olympics, The March of Dimes. and Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Los Angeles, California are some good examples where volunteers are needed.
  3. Donate. The United Way, March of Dimes, and United Cerebral Palsy are just some of the great national organizations out there which you could make a donation to so that much needed research can be funded.
  4. Don’t be afraid to use your voice and speak up on behalf of disability issues. Whether it’s helping raise awareness or writing your local Congressperson, more non-disabled must be made aware of the plight of the disabled and join them so as to help end the stigma and mistreatment that the disabled community faces each and every day.
  5. Remember that disability doesn’t mean helplessness. Franklin D. Roosevelt suffered with polio and yet became one of the nation’s greatest leaders as president. Another president, Theodore Roosevelt, overcame epilepsy and seizures to become one of America’s greatest heroes on the battlefield and one of its most respected leaders in history. Christopher Reeve, best known actor for his role as “Superman” in the late 70’s and early 80’s, became a prominent activist for those with spinal injuries after suffering a horrific accident while horseback riding. These are just some of the individuals that have proven that being disabled doesn’t necessarily mean being helpless or overly limited.
  6. Don’t be afraid to accept your own flaws or shortcomings. Disability comes in many forms. Being disabled, to me personally, means recognizing those limitations and flaws a person may have and celebrating them and helping others overcome theirs. In the end, aren’t we all a part of the same global family — the human race?
  7. Disabled people are your friends, too. We don’t want your pity or sympathy. We just want to be treated just like anyone else. Don’t be shy or threatened when you come into contact with someone disabled. Chances are, they are just wanting a friendly smile or a warm hug so that they know that they aren’t alone and belong.

Special thanks goes to the following who continue to inspire me to find the courage to speak up and speak out: Kel Campbell, Heather Nann, Todd Hannula 🤓, Tim Barrus, Leah Stella Stephens 🐀, Ellie Guzman, Abby Norman, Jennifer Smith, E.Viona, Ayesha Talib Wissanji, Elliot Nichols, Jules, Colette Clarke Torres, Gemma Kennedy, Lon Shapiro, Devon Henry, JT, Giulia Blasi, Emily Friedel, and Heidi Debroullet.

“For me, disability is a physical experience, but it’s also a cultural experience and a social experience, and for me, the word ‘crip’ is the one that best encapsulated all of that.” — Stella Young

Reference:

United States Census Bureau. (2012, July 25). “Nearly 1 in 5 People in the U.S. Have a Disability in the U.S., Census Bureau Reports: Report Released to Coincide with the 22nd Anniversary of the ADA.” [Retrieved April 2, 2016, from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/cb12-134.html]

-RD