Hey there, MisWired here. And today I want to talk about the discourse around disabilities and ND. Something I've realized a lot, and it got reinforced with the Oscars just happening, is that we, and more so the people are around us, are expected to keep quiet while others make a mockery of our struggles. The fact that we are often the butt of many jokes, and are expected to not be offended by it because "it's just a joke" tells you what society thinks of us.
The thing is, we're often not allowed to criticize jokes that hurt us or portray us in a negative light, otherwise we're too sensitive or can't take a joke. And that's how stereotypes get pushed. We're often put in situations where we can't put ourselves first, we're made to look selfish for putting ourselves first, all the while the people making these comments don't have to answer for their comments. Essentially, we're being punished for trying to point out bad comments. And the funniest part is how often we're told that we have to take responsibility for our actions, yet somehow we can't hold others to the other standards.
The fact that this is a common thing when it comes to disabilities and ND is not what surprises me. Nor is the ease that some people explain it away. What surprises me is how brazen people are with how they make these comments. And more often than not, the biggest culprits are those who are closest to us. Families, friends and teachers often make these comments, believing that they're doing good, but ultimately they do more harm than good. And that's the biggest frustration we have.
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