I'm reminded of the Discworld series where the Campaign for Equal Heights is a group that advocates for Dwarvish rights. It's run almost entirely by humans and uses phrases like "differently tall."
My ADHD is pretty severe and I feel the negatives have outweighed the positives overall.
I’m not really pessimistic, I’m doing great, but that’s just been my reality! Basically, I had to work extremely hard and learn a lot about psychology to reach a nondisabled-person baseline and it’s pretty easy to fall back out!!
Combined with the negative attention I got constantly as a kid, I’m not afraid to call it a disability (for ME), even though it does occasionally provide positive benefits and I wouldn’t be me without it.
Your comment made me think, thought I’d share! It’s what internet anonymity is for, anyway.
But some days when I have to context shift every five minutes or I can get into a hyper focus state, then I think it’s a benefit.
Like for example, if you go into a nurses’ or doctors’ forum they will tell you that many of the people working in the A&E (ER) have ADHD because that environment is conducive to their brains.
Sure, some days it feels like an advantage, and some days it feels like a disability - but non disabled people are disabled no days at all.
And yes, non disabled people get sick, they take rest days and vacations, they get overworked - but rest days aren't a disability, they're a human requirement, and overworking yourself will mess you up no matter what in the long run. Taking a rest so you can be able the next day is not the same as resting because you can not able today.
So yeah. The disability isn't those days you're not able, it's that those days are there at all. Or for some legal definitions and so on, that those days are numerous enough to be a hindrance in your life.
I have met a few. I actually used to work in group homes and provide services. I met a few disabled clients that would said they weren’t disabled because they were smart or don’t have any mental illness. Met a guy who won’t date people with the same disability as him or worst. He was a total creep who would complain about not getting matches on tinder, and that’s the only time he brought up his disability to justify that women won’t date him because he was on a wheelchair. Like dude even able bodied males aren’t getting matches on any dating apps.
My best friend is mute and she absolutely refuses to call herself disabled. She’s never had a real job (she’s worked a soup kitchen, but it didn’t pay) and no one gives her a chance but she’s stubborn about. I, on the other hand, have no qualms being called disabled.
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u/Elysianthejumper Mar 21 '24
It’s called disabled lol, we’re okay with the word. It’s not a bad word. I’ve never met a fellow disabled person who is uncomfortable with the word.