Please do not use the "R" word. Broaden your vocabulary to use more
accurate, descriptive, and less ignorant words. There are so many words
to choose from that do not insult a whole group of people. Handicapped is out of date too.
Person-first language is the right language to use. So instead of saying
a handicapped person, you say a person who has a disability. Actually
what is even better is to just call us by our names. You don't even have
to mention our disabilities.
This is an issue that I am really passionate about because I see way too many people ignorantly assume way too much about people who have disabilities. That is why it is so important to get to know someone before you judge them. We are
just as capable as anyone else. A disability does not mean a person is
capable of less. It means we have to adapt and be more creative to do
the same things as everyone else, just differently. The Paralympics is proof that people with physical disabilities can still be athletic and do amazing things, often even beating Olympic records. I know these things because I
have a disability. I have cerebral palsy, a mild case of right side hemiplegia (meaning my right arm and leg are effected). But I do not let this hold me back. I play soccer, run, ski, travel, hike... and much more.
Do not judge what we can do by our
appearance. Just because someone has a physical disability or is in a wheel chair, does not
mean they have a cognitive disability, and just because someone has a cognitive disability, does not mean that they are not smart. People sometimes assume I have a
cognitive/intellectual disability when they notice my physical disability, especially when I am volunteering with people who have cognitive/intellectual disabilities, but
that is not true. I also see people treat my friends who have cognitive or even physical disabilities like they are children. This is so rude, offensive, and ignorant. They are not children and they are very capable of living independent and successful lives. They deserve respect. People with cognitive impairments can even go to college to improve their independent living skills. I volunteer with an amazing group of students in the ClemsonLIFE program. It is inspiring to be a part of and see how they become a family that loves, accepts, and supports each other, as they grow as individuals.
There is so much more to who we are as a people than just our disabilities. There are many ways to describe and explain who
we are, better than our disabilities could. These include things such as our personality traits, what we are passionate about, our strengths.. and the list is
endless. We are just as capable of being intelligent, athletic, and
successful as others. We are often even more capable than others of being accepting, kind, loving,
compassionate, empathetic, optimistic, patient, persistent, determined,
and hard working because of the challenges we go through. For example, the challenges I have gone through because of my disability have inspired me to want to help others who have disabilities too. Aren't these
the capabilities that matter most, anyways? In my opinion, these are the
capabilities that matter most. Having the ability to overcome challenges and using those struggles to help others also matters more than the disability that caused those challenges.
