STOP THE NAME CALLING AND LABELING.

As a child growing up with my siblings and among other kids in the area where we lived, I had no sense of being different or being a part of a disable community. To me, the word ‘disability’ didn’t exist. However, as I grew older and became more aware of myself and environment, I noticed I did things a bit different from other kid’s i.e. running.

I wondered why people used different kinds of words and phrases to describe me ‘disabled, girl with a bad leg/no leg, sick etc. I really could not fathom why people used those words on me. Such pitiable and derogatory words I couldn’t make sense of. With the labeling came bullying and taunting…….. Oh I got lots of it lol.

I think having a disability in the part of the world where I come from is no child’s play at all (I am Nigerian by the way). You literally don’t get as much support as you would need. Unfortunately, what you get often is ‘pity’. People see your disability first before your personality. There are certain offices, establishments and institutions you won’t get past the gate because you are already perceived a certain way.

I laugh most of the time because people are ignorant. Ignorant to the fact that disability goes beyond what we see. It goes beyond the blind man/woman, wheelchairs, crutches, our tiny legs and arms, our facial disfigurement etc. There is more to being disabled than we know. There’s the side that we can’t see with our eyes ……. It is called ‘invisible’. Yes it is because they are internal…….. You see it most often but cannot recognize it because it is often hidden and not pronounced.

Sufferers most times choose not to talk about it for fear of not being told ‘nothing dey do you’, judged or ‘labelled’. I feel like these words play down on some of our challenges and only label us incapacitated. The fact that a person may have a challenge in one or more part of their body shouldn’t mean that they are disabled in other areas of their lives.

I live a very independent life.  I do everything for myself with little or no assistance, at my own pace of course.  Lucky me you say? Yea I know this may not be the case for a lot of persons out there. I feel like our society should make more room and accommodate individuals with disabilities that are not ‘visible’ to the eyes this New Year. To the disable community and movement, this year, let us support ourselves more, focus on our needs and fight for our common good.

Finally, to everyone else, if you have been around persons with any form of disability “visible or invisible”, you will appreciate ‘body’ and ‘strength’ diversity as beautiful and interesting. We are not monsters neither are we angry people. And NO our behavior or attitude is not the reason we are the way we are. Stop bullying and labeling us there is more to every individual on the planet ‘disabled’ or ‘not’. Learn to discover people for yourself.

Sharonxxx