Amen! Reverse Insult

[Guest guest]

Amen!

On top of being another level of de-humanizing us (we are superheros -

not people)

it is SO PATRONIZING! Arrrgh!

-marty (the lady one)

>>> " irish_p_butter " <irish_p_butter@...> 1/28/2007 5:22 PM >>>

Hello all,

In one of my text books, either Psychology or Business

Communications, there was a blurb on dealing with people with

differences and one stated " Do not make the disable person out to be

the hero " (my paraphrasing) and I certainly agree!

Today I received an e-mail from a lady with two kids who happened

onto my website and sent me an e-mail about how she liked it and

then ended it by saying I am an inspiration to many and I am

beautiful on the inside and out.

I sent her a reply thanking her then I tried to explain that I am

not an inspiration for the reason I have not done anything inspiring

so far in my life and I have not had any challenges to overcome in

being an LP.

This is what bothers me, I find being put on a pedestal just as

insulting as pointing, staring, etc. It is so frustrating because I

think hey people, get a clue, I am living my life just like you. If

I inspire you because I drive, well then you inspire me because you

drive. It is just rediculous. As far as being beautiful inside and

out statement, just ask people that know me, lol.

Seriously though, appeasing like this is just another way we are not

viewed as socially equal. It is like my life does not have meaning

unless some average height person tell me I am an inspiration. It

bothers me when tall people assume my life is hard or they know what

it is like. It just feels like people ignorant to dwarfism or

disabilites act like I should be extra grateful for doing things

others are doing in their daily lives.

I view all people the same, lp, average height, blind, deaf, etc

equally. People with other disabilities are NOT an inspiration to me

and that would be insulting for me to label them as such. They are

just living their lives just like I am living mine. It is like

making the statement that being blind must be hard, well I would

never say that because I have no idea what it is like.

I just think it is wrong to, as my book states, make people with

disabilities out to be the hero. Social equality means to me that I

can go out in the world and no one will give me any notice or mind

and will view my differences as different but not as less than they

are.

Just my thoughts as I kill time waiting for the website to take my

test is up and running again

-

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