Disability discrimination..by the public.?

Question

I have a disability and live in chronic pain. I am so frustrated by how those of us with 'unseen' problems are treated.

Most disabilities are NOT obvious. It seems people expect them to be; be in a wheelchair, or one's mobility so impared it's obvious; then they 'approve'. How arrogant! I have only so much activity I can tolerate a day, so I have to conserve this.

A person's medical condition is b/n them and their Dr. I get dirty looks when I park in the handicap space, and ugly comments. 'It doesn't look like anything's wrong with you!',or 'You don't look handicapped to me'.

I couldn't walk a year ago. After intense treatment, I get about with strict limitations.Though I still live in chronic pain, it's worse when walking. I didn't care about my apprearance and was very depressed.
I finally improved on this, and appear 'normal'.I guess I should appear on death's door to qualifty to park here. (I use my hc tag)
All due respect, most in w.c.'s aren't in pain, so curb access

Sorry, rest of this question is under psychology category.

Basically, why are people so judgemental, and how to handle it?

Answer 1

People like that are rude and inconsiderate. They were not raised right. These days , people do judge and they are hateful as ever.
I get dirty looks all of the time for being Asian-American. I realized that it's not how I look, and there is nothing wrong with how I act. It is THEM. People that give dirty looks and make rude comments have a problem within them.
People are idiots. You don't have to explain anything to them. If they say 'It doesn't look like anything's wrong with you!',or 'You don't look handicapped to me'.'It doesn't look like anything's wrong with you!',or 'You don't look handicapped to me' then tell them "YOU DON'T KNOW ME SO DO NOT JUDGE ME" . People make me so sick when they act like that.

Best thing to do is know that those people have problems and it's not you. People are not raised right these days. They think it's okay to show disapproval in their faces by giving dirty looks. They don't know how immature and hateful they look.

Answer 2

Hang in there. Yes, it happens every day everywhere. It's pure ignorance. Lazy people who don't appreciate how lucky they are to be able bodied. (though not able minded)

I have friends who get so stressed out receiving this reaction, that they often won't use the tag, which causes them to walk much farther. It's humiliating.

One friend is a slim, very good looking girl, who as you started fixing her hair again and wearing make up. She went from the depths of depression to trying to have a life again. She started wearing cute clothes rather than never leaving the house and wearing any old clothes, often the same ones.
She gets a ton more ugly comments from strangers as I suppose an attractive person cannot have anything wrong with them!

She doesn't look the part, unless it's a very bad day and she limps. Should she not wash her hair, were those old baggy ugly clothes and not try to get her smile back? Just look miserable and hopeless as she was?
It's hard to toughen up to these mass disgusting actions.

Any ideas or solutions out there? What would be a good bumper sticker to use, but without defending or explaining to them, which feeds into their power attitude?

Answer 3

I do sympathise, having a son who has been suffering from a similar chronic disability since the age of 12. He is registered disabled, but makes a supreme effort to shrug things off as far as possible. What was extremely irksome to us all was the attitude of a family friend who should have known better, as he sits as Chairman of Disability Appeal Tribunals. He would sniff that he would not have accepted my son's disability as being crippling had he appeared before him. Eventually this man began to develop arthritis and -- surprise, surprise! it hurt! At last he began to understand what disability was all about. But that's what it took! And one dreads to think how many appeals were turned down because he could not empathise with the pain of those before him.

Some disabled people carry a cane. This might be a good idea in your case, even if you can walk without it, to alert people to your condition.

Answer 4

If you truly have a disability, why don't you get a handicapped sticker for your car. Problem is solved - they are easy to get.

If your doctor won't approve your application, then that means you are NOT disabled and cannot park in a handicapped space.

What a simple thing, right?

Answer 5

there is nothing wrong with you . stop trying to beat the system out of free good's.

Answer 6

So what is your question?