I must admit that I am guilty of taking my abilities for granted. I hardly ever think of ableism because i'm not affected by it. I wouldn't be surprised if there were tons of other people who do the same. Ableism isn't as known as other injustices such as racism, sexism, etc. People who aren't disabled probably don't take the time to be aware and sensitive of ableism issues, unless someone close to them are disabled.
It's sad because many times ableism forces people to leave schools, lose jobs, or limit social lives because they are unable to perform the skills that are necesary to live in the "normal world." People discriminate consciously and unconsciously based on what they see. For example, people with visible disabilities, such as wheelchairs, will be less likely to get hired based on the assumption that they will need extra help or have less skills than others. I'm even guilty of feeling sorry for someone that I see with a visible disability.
Ableism should be an issue that should have more awareness. I don't think people are aware of it enough to make a change.
Here's a positive image for the week that I found:
Nikki i completely agree with you. I am guilty of the same thing. i never sit and think about my abilities. I pray at night and thank God for another day and pray for my family, but I never thank him for the things that we take for granted. And yeah its sad that some people are forced to leave school and work because they can't do it or because they get fired. But i look up to those that even with disability are moving on and proving to the world that they can do it! great post!
ReplyDeleteNikki, I concur. I blogged about the fact that because the issue did not hit home until now, I really did not understand nor pay too much attention to. I think it is very good for all of us to be knowledgeable of the issues without it having to hit home but sometimes that is what it takes for people to open up their eyes. I can say that I am learning so much stuff now and only regret not learning about it more sooner.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Oh gosh, that Planned Parenthood sign hits home... never thought of it that way! And I'm sure that good intentioned thought went into that form of branding for them. Support is much more inclusive, but I wonder why they chose "stand with" over "support." See where I'm going with the marketing thing? Did they think "stand with" sounded stronger? And if so, it is discriminatory even if unintentional. I would love to talk to my boss at Planned Parenthood and question if they are aware of how that discriminates against part of the population and potential supporters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post, and I'll see you Monday!