"Disabilities"

I thought it was interesting in class when someone mentioned that everyone does something differently than other people. That is what we have said defines so to speak what a "disabled" person is; someone who does things differently than everyone else. I also really like the term brought up in class, "differently abled." 

If we all think about it there is something that you do that is different than other people. Josh mentioned that he is left handed and that with a big majority of right handed desks in classrooms brings that difference out. I don't have that issue being right handed, although when the odd left handed desk comes along it is strange for me to sit in it, so I suppose I can relate in a small way. I for one am very near sighted (I can't see far away), which most people might not know because I wear contacts everyday. But without them or my glasses I would be lost, I really can't see anything. I use those aids to see as do millions of other people who have difficulty seeing. I wouldn't necessarily call that a "disability" nor would I call being left handed a "disability." They are just things that we have that require us to do something like seeing and writing differently than those who can see perfectly or are right handed.


I think that too many people look at the disability and what that person can't do versus what they can do. My best friend has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Muscular Dystrophy is a disorder that causes muscle degeneration which affects walking ability, breathing, and heart strength. He often has people assume that he can't do things. That is 100% NOT the case. He can do pretty much everything that anyone else can, just in a different or slower pace.  


Basically what I am saying I suppose is that the issues we brought up in class aren't always thought about by society at large. You see someone with what you would call a "disability" and make assumptions about them. I know we all do it no matter how hard we try not to or would like to think we don't. If you really think about it, using the common definition of "disability", everyone would be labeled as such.