a recent disability myth that’s been on my mind is one encompasses poverty, classism + ableism altogether—the myth that disabled ppl, along with those who experience homelessness + extreme poverty, are “society’s burdens” and residential “leeches” when it comes to providing aid.

this mythological narrative illustrates how disabled people, usually through those suffering from addiction and mental illness, are considered societal burdens and/or “leeches” providing the imagery of being subhuman and lesser than what society needs and values.

this is why institutions were created to remove the “societal burdens” from view.

it created an unhealthy and dangerous perspective that disabled ppl were “broken” and could not be fixed—there’s so much history there that tells this but trying to keep this thread short ish.

but it worked, always has for centuries, we disabled ppl alongside with other “societal burdens” were removed from the overall narrative, away from becoming included with the rest of our communities and society.

hence making disabled ppl come last when making pivotal decisions.

this pandemic has shown this time and time again how disposable society views disabled ppl alongside other marginalized groups.

history has painted us disabled ppl as a “problem that could not be solved”, a “societal burden that could simply be removed from view”, financial “leeches” due to the high medical costs we need to sustain ourselves, “lazy” because many are unable to work, and more.

by constantly illustrating disabled ppl in this manner, of course society would see us as bother and something that does not need to be cared for but merely dealt with from time to time.

a hard truth to a very real reality.

it’s why disabled ppl would be so easily written off by many—from medical professionals, to society, to our communities, and even our own families.

when your life and existence is written off as a “societal burden”, it diminishes your true value and quality of life.

this belief kills us—the unseen, the forgotten, the unwanted, the saved for last when aid is provided.

the system has always been slowly killing us, and being “societal burdens” fuels it.

until the “societal burden” myth is dispelled and changed—poverty, homelessness, racism, ableism, classism—virtually the whole system will continue to erase us.

and we cannot continue to let it do so.

hence we need to challenge this misguided mythological belief of “societal burdens” because until it happens—many will continue to live far below the poverty line, won’t be viable or eligible for aid, will be homeless, will struggle with various disabilities + societal barriers.

we need our society and communities to become part of the solution, not part of the issue.

even now when asking for aid, it is dismissed or ignored or very little at best—that is a grave injustice and confirmation to the entirety of the “societal burden” narrative.

society and communities are only as strong as those they care for and help with—we have forgotten how to do that and it is one of the most grievous injustices we have done at the cost of our own humanity.

caring about marginalized lives should not be a political act and yet…