Disability stigma prevents social inclusion. Living with a mental disability. Around 1.3 billion people, 16% of the global population live with a disability according to the WHO. (Source: whoint).
Isn’t it time that changed?
Social Stigma and Disability
Social stigma and disability are one of the biggest barriers when it comes to inclusion. Disability stigma as it’s called, negatively impacts people’s quality of life for people with disabilities preventing from being included and playing a full role in society. It’s not only an abuse of people’s human rights, but it’s also a waste of human potential. (Source: cbmukorguk).
Education
One way we can promote understanding is through education. We can educate ourselves and others about disabilities, the challenges they present, and the different ways in which they are experienced. This can include learning about the specific conditions that cause disability, as well as the ways in which ableism affects the lives of those who live with them.
Inclusion
We can also make efforts to include people with disabilities in our communities, treating them with the same respect as anyone else. It’s difficult to say how much of a lack of awareness or understanding contributes to disability stigma, or how much of that is down to prejudice, fear and discrimination.
Strategies for Change
Ultimately, it is up to each individual to take responsibility for their own attitude and behaviour towards people with disabilities. By recognising our own biases and making efforts to challenge them, we can promote greater understanding, inclusion, and acceptance for those living with physical, mental and emotional disabilities. We can bring difference in here too.
Living with a disability has always made me feel very invisible and pretty much excluded from the rest of the world. We both grew up in a time when they didn't talk about things like that which only made things so much worse.
Nobody told me that I wasn't crazy, so I spent most of my life wondering if I was. Writing a book about my experience could help others to understand that they aren't "crazy!"
It would be fantastic if the rest of the world could think the same way.
Thanks Randy. Like you, I have also felt excluded and pretty much invisible. A lot went on around me, rather than with me.
But the era you and I grew up in was also different. In 2023, disability is dealt with better, and inclusivity around disability is expected.
Back then, we were very much excluded. I'm sorry it's what you went through.