When it comes to minority groups, we as a society do our best, (well, we’re starting to do our best) to acknowledge the specific facets of each group that makes them unique, as a culture, as a people, as a colour, gender, sexuality.
But people who are disabled? All in one group.
If you are physically disabled, have a learning disability, neurological disorder — like my epilepsy — all of us, lumped into one group and told we are the same.
Blind and deaf people, together, even though the concerns and difficulties facing the two are completely different. In a wheelchair or have dyslexia? Same thing, same group. Intellectually disabled or missing one arm, both, same category.
But truly, the only thing that unites disabled people is the way we are treated by “normal society.” Certainly, the sub groups have their own culture. Those of us with epilepsy have our inside jokes, people who are physically disabled or have mobility issues have a guidebook of their own, even just word of mouth, about which buildings can be entered, or what obstacles are insurmountable, especially snow.
But how on earth are the problems facing someone with mobility issues the same as someone who has schizophrenia?
It’s especially odd considering every person alive now will be disabled: it’s called aging. You are “temporarily abled” now and that won’t last forever.
This week, May 26 to June 1 marks National AccessAbility Week and for those not currently facing a disability, most of the events are about educating those who do not have disabilities. Part of the activities here in town saw Mayor Paul Lefebvre riding the bus in a wheelchair.
And certainly, taking the bus in a wheelchair is terribly difficult, and I only know having watched it, because though I am disabled, I am not physically disabled. But I take the bus everywhere as I cannot have a driver’s licence. And what I would like to see is instead of one ride on the bus in a wheelchair — though a wonderful intent — perhaps a week or two. One day, one hour, does not reveal the struggle of managing day to day life, even something as simple as going grocery shopping. Buy in bulk, you say? Please carry home a 20-lb bag of flour on the bus, while also negotiating your wheelchair. It also doesn’t reveal the burden of living off disability income supplements and trying to afford groceries.
It’s not that I want to criticise any attempts to raise awareness of people with disabilities, especially those who require infrastructure to live their lives and who need awareness to have their struggle understood; it’s that I struggle with condensing all struggles into one word: disability.
Beyond a week of awareness that disabilities exist and we need to support the people who have them, try this week to learn about the many disabilities that are affecting the lives of people around you. Try supporting them, and see what happens.
My husband and I have a motto: marriage is not 50/50, it's 60/40, with both partners aiming to do the 60. For the people in your life, try to be the 60, find out what they need and carve your community into that aid.
I just need someone to ask me what I need sometimes. I bet your friends and family do, too. Heck, I bet everyone does. Raise awareness in your community, but also, raise awareness of your people.
It’s not possible to create a system that will bend to the needs of each individual; however, a community can.
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com.