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#Ableism
GUY: I wish I could lose a leg to be a Paralympic wheelchair racer.
ME: Are you really into sport then?
GUY: I hate sport, but I'd start if I lost a leg.
ME: Paralympians are highly athletic and train hard for years to compete.
GUY: Oh.
https://www.instagram.com/teamdolly/
GUY: I wish I could lose a leg to be a Paralympic wheelchair racer.
ME: Are you really into sport then?
GUY: I hate sport, but I'd start if I lost a leg.
ME: Paralympians are highly athletic and train hard for years to compete.
GUY: Oh.
https://www.instagram.com/teamdolly/
There's the perception that disabled people can do anything if they're more positive, like everyone in a wheelchair could train to be a wheelchair basketballer etc. The reality is that every disabled person is different and has different limits of activity.
Some people lose some or all of the use of their legs, but are still able to be athletic, as they most likely were highly athletic and into sports before becoming disabled. It's a common misconception that every disabled person could achieve a high level of fitness.
I think it's wonderful when someone is able to compete in the Paralympic, like wheelchair racer Mel Nicholls. It takes not only high levels of determination and training, but also the capability based on limitations of a condition. Mel has limitations and she works within them.
Some people are unable to get fit to a high level because of joint problems, fainting, balance issues or a whole host of other co-morbidities that prevent them from doing certain activities. It doesn't make those people lazy. They actually deal with unseen day-to-day challenges.
When one person finds it a challenge to win a medal, another may find it a challenge to walk to the shower. There's a range of people in the world and if someone is disabled they're still a person with their own unique set of skills and capabilities.
I for one have always tried to do the most I can. I used to be able to go rock climbing and do martial arts. After various degenerations in my health because of EDS and other co-morbidities, I can't do those things safely anymore. Going for a short walk is like a marathon.
I would like people to understand that being disabled doesn't necessarily mean that you can just 'push through' the pain or fatigue. It sometimes means not doing certain things because of severe risk of injury or causing weeks of bedrest due to debilitation.
People may not have equal abilities because of physical limitations, but you can be sure that the majority of the people who you meet will be doing all they can when they can. That may be a marathon, or something as small as reaching for a drink on their bedside table.
