The discrimination faced by the physically disabled

The discrimination faced by the physically disabled

The discrimination faced by the physically disabled is humiliating and dehumanizing. Often times a person with physical disabilities is not addressed by sales persons. Disabled persons are looked over as though they can’t hear the negative inflection in the voices, that address someone else as though they can not comprehend or answer with efficiency, or see the disapproving glances as they enter the business establishments.

Disabled people would like to be viewed as people with challenges and not some” human rejection defect”. Look directly at a disabled person and address them while speaking directly to them. Disabled people are not ashamed of their disabilities and they don’t want to be looked upon with pity. Offering help and assistance is not the same as assuming a disabled person can not handle themselves or business matters. Disabled persons faces challenges every day. Our challenges are not viewed as challenges by others.

Some disabled people may have the challenge of walking or reaching their destination by wheel chair. If they have reached their destination, on that merit alone, they should be held in high esteem and not rejected, upon upon their arrival. Some people have disabilities, that aren’t easily recognized. A person walking with a cane or in a wheel chair are easily recognized and targeted as disabled persons. The treatment of a person should not alter because of any form of disability. Restaurants should never offer a guest a rear table, well out of view of arriving guest. This is viewed as an indirect form of discrimination, felt by some members of the disabled community.

I won’t argue the point, some disabled persons may need help or assistance. It would be wise to ask them, before making the assumption that their disability has affected their intelligence. Most certainly, it has not altered their standing (no pun intended) as a human being.

The best man or woman for the job should always be the man or woman qualified to do the job. Disabled persons are quite ingenious in their abilities to accomplish tasks and sometimes find an easier ways to complete the task.

Every member of society, no matter what gender, race, able bodied or disabled should all be given the same opportunities. Our creed as disabled people. Yes, we are challenged. “Challenged to do our best”.