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Thats Funny You Dont Look Like You have a DisabilityThats Funny You Dont Look Like You have a Disabilityby Lynda AppellEditorial about how invisible disabilities are just as much disabilities as visible ones. >Ths funny, you dont look like you have a disABILITY.by Lynda Appell Any one who can see that a man, woman, boy, girl who is in a wheel chair has a visible disability. Like wise seeing some one using a cane either as a walking aid or as help for someone who is blind. Conversely someone who has an invisible disability, be it a learning disorder, a mental illness under control with treatment, a person with chronic debilitating pain and many other examples, too numerous to mention, are seen unless their disability is known as not having anything disabling about them. I am not implying that persons with handicaps that are not readily seen are more disabled than those with a handicap that is readily visible. What I am saying that both visible and invisible disabilities can both be a hardship and at times even devastating to the individual. Just because a disability can not be seen doesnt mean its any less disabling than one that can be seen by most people. This doesnt doesnt necessarily mean more so. It means that a visability of disability should not be the sole criteria of who is considered disabled. To me there is one very important exception to the above. The person with an invisible disability has to deal with not only their disability but the publics attitude toward it. For its easy to realize some one who is physically challenged as being impaired. Its harder to realize that a person who may look normal may also have an impairment. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Disabled disability activist for over twelve years in my local Community Support Program and Artists for Recovery. |