Mélange Accessibility for All Magazine October 2022 | Page 27

Disability is not a dirty word
UN expert lauds Jordan ’ s efforts on disability rights , encourages international support
What Doctors Don ’ t Understand About
Disability BY MIKE ERVIN When it turns out we ' re not interested in being ' cured ,' health professionals often write us off as a lost cause .
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Disability is not a dirty word

. . . Disability doesn ’ t have one face , shape or name . People with disabilities are unique , diverse and vastly different from each other . It ’ s an umbrella term , and fun fact : People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the world , and they are discriminated against , marginalized and face specific socioeconomic barriers simply because they have a disability . It ’ s also the only minority group anyone can join at any time .
So , to those out there who think disability is a dirty word , it isn ’ t — it ’ s an accurate descriptor . And as far as being afraid to utter the word ? Don ’ t be . The more we include it in our common vocabulary , the more normalized the term becomes .
Excerpt from CHRONICALLY CATHERINE : DISABILITY IS NOT A DIRTY WORD Read the full article .

UN expert lauds Jordan ’ s efforts on disability rights , encourages international support

The UN expert on the rights of persons with disabilities on Thursday welcomed Jordan ’ s commitment and political will to include people with disabilities in all aspects of society , following a 10-day official visit to the country . Read the full article .

What Doctors Don ’ t Understand About

Disability BY MIKE ERVIN When it turns out we ' re not interested in being ' cured ,' health professionals often write us off as a lost cause .

Every year , I do a gig where I , along with other disabled folks , talk to first-year medical students at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine as part of their curriculum . Prospective doctors ask us questions about how we navigate our days . I ’ m happy to take part in this because I think that anything that gives doctors a better understanding of disabled folks and how we operate is well worth a shot . Why ? Because I also think that some of the deepest and most dangerous ignorance of , and disregard for , disabled folks is exhibited by doctors and others in the medical profession . Read the full article .