Attitude: Disability, A Natural Part of Life

Many years ago, this writer—a young VR counselor at the time—attended a gathering of people meeting with a local senator running for reelection. Attendees included people with disabilities, advocates, VR counselors, job developers, and case managers. The meeting's goal was to advocate for more accessible transportation and housing for people with disabilities. Armed with signs and supportive data, I was confident our efforts would create positive change. After many shared their concerns and solutions, the senator responded, "We're going to do everything we can for you people."

A man speaking at a lectern, surrounded by males and females, of various races and ages, some of whom have visible disabilities: one person using a white cane, three people using wheelchairs.

Those words, "you people," echoed in my head. At that moment, my academic understanding of the "psychosocial aspect of disability" shot like an arrow from my head to my gut. For the first time, I felt it, like a blow.

Side by side image. On the left image under the caption: "Before the Meeting" is a man sitting in a wheelchair holding a sign that reads: "More Para-transit Buses," and a woman standing behind him. Both are smiling. On the right image, under the caption "After the Meeting: is the same woman and man, looking shocked.

Unintentionally, the senator's words cleaved our gathering into two groups: people like him--those without disabilities, and "you people"— those with disabilities. In short, us and them.

Side by side image. On left under the caption: "Us," are a group of people of various sexes, ages, and races, none with visible disabilities. On the right image under the caption "Them," are people of various sexes, ages, races with one person using a chair, one using a white cane, and another using a guide dog, and others without visible disabilities.

This story illustrates how words can highlight our differences and dim our commonalities. Yet, most who've been around the block a time or two know that people—those with and without disabilities—have far more similarities than we have differences. We have dreams, challenges, a longing to belong, and a desire to make meaningful contributions for which we are appreciated and fairly compensated.

Under the caption "All of Us" is a group of people from both of the images above, representing people with and without disabilities.

Along that same line, an unacknowledged commonality is the shared experience of disability.

Whether we are born with a disability or acquire a disability through accident, disease, or age,

most of us at one time or another will likely experience disability.

So, it's really not about them. It's about us.

All of us.