I recently read a heart breaking story about a woman with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome who was shamed for using a handicapped parking spot. The woman in the story was having a good day, meaning she was actually well enough to walk. Her condition, however, affects all of her body’s automatic functions and can hit her at any time without warning. The handicap tag that she was given by her doctor was meant to give her a shorter walk in case her condition reared its ugly head. An unknown person left a note on her car calling her a “faker” because they couldn’t see why she was considered handicapped. I know that I have caught myself thinking, “Why does this person need a special parking spot? Clearly they can walk a few extra feet.” It’s important to remember that not everyone who is handicapped is in a wheelchair. Sometimes, like that lady in the story, the disability can be invisible to people on the outside. Our prejudgment can be very harmful and can cause us to constantly make those who receive special treatment prove their disability.
In America we see with advertising, our peers, and sometimes our parents that we need to be better than everyone else. I think this is why we are so quick to judge those who announce themselves as being different. We see those with handicapped tags and consider how much better we are because we can do things they can’t. We see those who look like us, but still receive special treatment and we think, “Well at least I’m not abusing the system.” We don’t know what others are going through, unless they tell us. I think it’s important to remember that we cannot see the battles that others are facing and that we should not judge them on a single instance.
Picture:
Unruly Bodies 