Love Thy Disabled Neighbor: The reality of being disabled by Jaenalyn

Love Thy Disabled Neighbor: The reality of being disabled by Jaenalyn - September 2021 Scholarship Essay

No one knows what lives inside of me...no really, I have an illness that can't be seen through the naked eye. Even I couldn't recognize the illness when it first attacked my body. At that point I was an outsider; Judgmental and unwavering between my opinions about how my own body operated. It wasn't until I actually displayed symptoms of my decaying organs, that I recognized my need for help and certain accommodations.
Oftentimes, when a disability is visible and present, it is easy to automatically assume certain attributes about someone. For example, someone with Cerebral Palsy - a disorder affecting one's ability to maintain posture and control movements- might have a wheelchair and possess a speech impairment. Cerebral Palsy doesn’t always impact cognitive awareness and mental capabilities. But the mere fact that someone is in a wheelchair, and appears to be cognitively disabled based on physical attributes, gives people room for judgement.
This happened to me one day in my history classroom. I have lupus, which is an autoimmune disease in which your body's own immune system attacks itself. At the time, I was unaware this illness was active. As a result, I had an anxiety attack in front of the entire classroom. My teacher asked me to leave, not even halting to assist me to a safe place. After class ended, she yelled at me and made this proclamation: “You need to get an IEP or 504, I’m not dealing with this.” IEP stands for Individualized Education Plan. A 504 is similar, but less aptitudinal and with more identified accommodations.
Of course I was hurt. It’s not everyday someone points out your disability. She was right though, I did need a 504 eventually; However it was out of her jurisdiction for her to exploit my illness in front of an entire classroom.
Here’s the point I am trying to explain. Sure, she may have been a little over the top in pointing out my illness. However, pointing it out in the first place made me realize how disparagingly different I appeared from others after that point. Nobody knew I had the illness before then, because it’s invisible. After they found out, I started being treated in a different respect. As if I was lesser than or more pitiful, or had a lower IQ. Showing any form of intelligence led them to believe I was disabled in different ways. “Maybe she has a ‘genius disability,’” they would presume. Genius disabilities are those evidenced in displaying high IQ levels with characteristics similar to that of autism, ADHD, dyslexia or otherwise. I don’t have a genius disability. I just have lupus.
It’s true accommodations are necessary for people who have disabilities and illnesses. One of my accommodations is that I’m permitted to wear gloves in the classroom. However, wearing gloves doesn’t change me mentally, nor does it change my personality. Lupus is part of who I am. I’ve learned that it’s difficult to express this part of me for fear of being judged.
Here is my belief. Disabilities are real. Disabilities are validated. However, knowing someone with a disability shouldn’t change how you see them. It doesn’t matter if they're in a wheelchair, if they can’t speak correctly, or even if they have some cognitive difficulties. We are still human, and we still deserve every bit of respect that people without disabilities receive everyday. Accommodation is still possible without appropriating. Loving people. It's an understanding that is constantly challenged in the classroom. It shouldn’t have to be something we think about. We just need to do it.