People with disabilities should be judged as individuals and not merely on being disabled.
I have a disability myself. I am being treated for a mood disorder, plus I have a learning disabiity. So this is also a personal site
I discovered many aspects of the world of people with disabilities. The most important fact I learned that disabled people do not want people feeling sorry for them. At least the persons I discovered on the net definitely do not pity themselves. They emphasize the positve, the things they can do. They also stress the importance of rights for people with disabilities and self-empowerment. There's a say in the disability rights movement. "Nothing about us without us. That is disability professionals need to work together. This includes people with developmental disabilities. There is a local group where I live called "Speaking for Ourselves." It is an organization where the higher functioning mentally retarded can and do decide what is right for them in their community. They also like to be as independent as possible. They are also all individuals. They are people with disabilities. That is they are people first. Their disability is just one part of them.
That is how I feel about my disability. My conditions do not define me who I am. They some of many facets that make up Lynda Appell This is of course, true of anyone and every one who has a disability. Of course this goes for everyone in the worldPeople with a disability for the most part, do not want to seen as just their disability but as having abilities as well. After all people with disabilities are and should be seen as individuals and their disability should NOT be the sole defining factor of anyone.
I have been a disabled disability activist for over 12 years. Mostly for my local Community Support Program. CSP helps disabled persons access local services so they can be as independent as possible. Also involved with Artists for Recovery.
