My grandfather has been blind for as long as I can remember. I grew up with an understanding for blind people. When I was young, I never doubted my grandfather’s ability to do things the same as anyone else would. I grew up seeing him read books, watch movies, make meatloaf, tell me stories, go camping, take me to lunch, and use an iPhone. As I grew older, I started to see others doubt my grandfather’s ability, and I began to see the stares and the whispers. One day, my family and I went to the movies. When the movie was over, everyone but me went to bathroom and I waited outside alone. A group of people were standing next to me and they were talking about why you shouldn’t take a blind man to the movies. I was hurt and I desperately wanted to do something but I didn’t because I thought I couldn’t make a difference. I was wrong. Anyone can help fight discrimination and judgement of disabled people because you can become more informed, you can stand up to people who say or do something rude, and you can treat them just the same as you would anyone else.
A simple way you can fight discrimination and judgement against disabled people is by becoming more informed about disabled people. A study states, “A lack of understanding of one’s individual needs is the attitude or behaviour most commonly experienced by disabled people – and the one that those who have experienced several negative attitudes or behaviours most want to change” (Scope, n.d., p.1). The lack of understanding and not being informed is a big contributor to discrimination and judgement of disabled individuals. Most disabled people want the lack of understanding to be fixed. So, if you become more informed, you will help disabled people more by understanding more of what they go through.
You can also stand up to people who say or do something rude to disabled people. A study states, “Reinforcing the bully...was negatively correlated with outcome expectations and values. It was especially related to not valuing bullying decreasing and not valuing victim feeling better” (Poyhonen, Juvonen, Salmivalli, 2012, p. 7). Defending the victim of bullying can help reduce bullying and it helps the victim to feel better. This may seem hard to do but it’s really not. I read a book a couple years ago called Wonder that I really enjoyed and has to do with this topic. Wonder is the story of a boy with facial deformities who starts going to a school after being homeschooled all his life. It states, “I sat with him that first day because I felt sorry for him… All the girls at my table were whispering about him. He wasn’t the only new kid at Beecher Prep, but he was the only one everyone was talking about… So I just went over and sat with him” (Palacio, 2012, p.119). Summer was the first person to ever befriend him. Summer was a normal person who wasn’t an activist or a hero. Anybody can do something as small as just sitting with someone. Anybody can do one of these easy ways.
Finally, you can help fight this issue by you treating them just the same as anyone else. An article states, “To be human: What does this phrase mean to those of us engaged in the myriad details of living? We wake, wipe the sleep from our eyes, and go about our days. Sometimes with success, and sometimes without, we engage with others. We love. We yearn for “better.” Whatever we look like, no matter what language we speak or where we live, we simply are” (Speraw, 2009, p.1). Everyone including disabled people fit under this definition of “human”. Disabled people are human and they deserve to be treated as one. I also read another book related to this topic, Out of My Mind. Out of My Mind is about a very smart girl named Melody who has cerebral palsy and is unable to tell everyone how smart she is. The book states, ““Oh, gag me!” Mrs. V said, startling him. “Don’t get bogged down in all those touchy-feely words and phrases you read in books on disabled kids. Melody is a child who can learn and will learn if she sticks with me!”” (Draper, 2010, p.41). Mrs. V helps Melody to show the world who she really is. Mrs. V treated Melody just like anyone one else and believed in her. Mrs. V was just a normal person. You may be “normal” or “average” but you can still treat disabled people the same as you would others.
These are just three of many simple ways you can help fight discrimination and judgement of disabled individuals. You can help by becoming more informed about disabled people, saying something when someone says something negative about them, or you can treat disabled people normally. It isn’t too difficult to make a difference. I regret not standing up to the woman who was saying rude things about my grandfather. Don’t make the mistake I did, stand up and help fight the discrimination.