No Pity: Addressing the Positive Aspects of Being Disabled
It’s a topic I’m not afraid to address: disability pride and the positive aspects and attributes of being a disabled person. Even though in our highly ableist world, such an assertion might sound ludicrous.
Before I go further, I want to be clear on something. When I say “positive” I am not referring to a type of toxic positivity. Toxic positivity refers to the belief that someone should maintain a positive mindset at all times, no matter the circumstances. It often involves invalidating or dismissing negative emotions, such as sadness, anger, or frustration, by insisting on looking at the bright side or finding the silver lining in every situation.
Living with a disability means that there are difficult days. It’s okay to be mad, sad, or frustrated at the obstacles being disabled can present. One of the phrases I conclude my videos with on my YouTube channel for Love Disabled Life, is “Being disabled means there are some days that are going to be hard, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t love who is living them.” What I’m striving to do with this platform is advocate for self-love, self-acceptance, and proudness about being disabled. After all, so much of the shit that being disabled throws at us isn’t even about us. It’s about a world not accommodating to what our needs are.
So, with that disclaimer stated, I am excited to highlight what I believe are some of the great aspects of being disabled. I think that disabled people are more resilient, adaptable, and have an authentic appreciation for life’s diversity. I also think we are full of creativity (and I don’t mean just artistic), and we belong to a thriving community with a strong history of pioneering self-advocacy.
The resilience disabled people have is often cultivated through navigating a world that often presents barriers and obstacles. From overcoming physical challenges to confronting societal prejudices, disabled individuals demonstrate a deep capacity to adapt, persevere, and thrive in the face of adversity.
Living with a disability often necessitates creative problem-solving and innovative thinking. Necessity is often a source for invention. Because the world is not universally accessible to us, we must be quick to adapt and find solutions to achieve our life goals in the moment. This is a life skill for which disabled people excel. Just because we have to do it, doesn’t mean it isn’t something we should not be proud of.
Beyond our own needs of the moment, whether at school, in the office, or in our community spaces, disabled people often bring a unique perspective of inclusion and innovation to the task at hand. This perspective goes beyond just recognizing and advocating for accessible spaces. Challenging traditional notions of beauty and ability, countering ableist narratives promoted in our national media, and forging new ways of living, learning, and working together, are things that the disabled person sitting at the table are likely the first to address.
Additionally, disability intersects with various aspects of identity, including race, gender, sexuality, and culture, contributing to a tapestry of experiences and perspectives within the disabled community. Embracing this diversity fosters solidarity, mutual support, and collective empowerment. It also challenges stereotypes of different identities and works to amplify marginalized voices. When disabled people acknowledge the intersectionality within our own community, we actively demonstrated our shared values of inclusivity and equity for all people.
Lastly, a core source of pride for disabled people is our shared culture and history. We are bound together by shared experiences, challenges and triumphs that is uniquely our own. There is exclusivity in this bond. And that is okay. I am not discounting the important role that non-disabled allies have in our movement or the valued place they have in our lives. What I am saying is that the disability community is a space for mutual support, connection, and acceptance. In our ableist world where so many of us feel like we don’t belong, the existence of our disability history, culture and community proves to us that indeed, we do belong.
And we love it here.