And now in my mind there are tens of voices, or more, but even my mind has limits, it can’t perceive them all. 😊
Of course, yes, I obviously have problems, everyone has problems, there is no one who has no worries, etc.
Most of the time, the conscious idea in our mind that we have problem X is complemented by an unconscious conception: it’s clear that everyone has some problem, but mine is the most serious.
And we have this mental attitude, when our big headache is that our favorite cookies are finished or that we’re missing pink socks, trivialities really, when there are so many alternatives for both cookies and socks. 😊
Sometimes I also think about events, in my modesty, I would say I always think, but I leave it as it falls, 😊 the first expression is always the most sincere. 😊
And in my process of meditating on existence 😉 I try to analyze, what is the most difficult situation I have encountered and named a problem?
And there have been enough moments that required “emotional acrobatics,” even physical ones, to overcome, but one of the things that raises the highest barriers between me and the rest is the attitude of pity towards myself because I have a visual impairment.
I believe this comes from the prejudices we hold.
We don’t have the patience to see what a person can do, nor do we have the inspiration to let the other person be themselves without contaminating them with the labels we make sure to put on them, before the first contact.
From here arise the situations in which:
I go to the doctor and the doctor asks the person next to me various things related to the purpose and duration of the visit, okay, it’s nice to have a *spokesperson, but not under such conditions; Are you talking to the person next to you, about me, in my presence?
Or interaction with the police: The officer, – She can’t see?
The companion, – Yes.
Me, – I’m here, why don’t you ask me?
The officer, – I didn’t want to upset or bother you.
These people aren’t ill-intentioned, at least I don’t suspect them, 😉 however, it’s clear that we have a communication problem, which negatively influences our cooperation.
And if we draw inspiration from the law, ignorance is no excuse. 😊
Asking others what problems they have, they replied:
As a wheelchair user, the “biggest monster” I face in many situations is people’s attitude.
They believe that because we are in wheelchairs, we can’t do many things.
Also, another problem is steps, spaces not large enough to allow maneuvering of the wheelchair, as well as other architectural elements, like non-standard doors, inaccessible bathrooms, etc.
I had an experience during one of my interactions with the director of a cultural building. There were many steps, no ramp, and no mention of an elevator, so I couldn’t enter. I had no choice but to send someone to call for help.
When the director arrived, surprised and without understanding what was happening, he began to exclaim more than ask:
“What happened! What happened! Why are you like this?”.
And at the beginning of our interaction, he couldn’t believe that I worked; his first reaction was to conclude that I had come to beg.
Another person, also with mobility issues, tells me:
“Many people, when I tried to enter university and when I looked for work, struggled to see beyond my disability.
People assumed that just because I had a disability, I couldn’t perform even the simplest tasks; they believed I couldn’t even use a fire extinguisher.
I think the main reason I was treated differently, given that I was training to become a nurse, was probably because people were scared, as they had never faced someone like me before.”
And so, we see the vicious circle forming: people with disabilities are not seen because they encounter inappropriate attitudes, and the behaviors are often well-intentioned, but because people are encountering such situations for the first time, they don’t know how to proceed, which discourages those with certain disabilities even more.
#Accessibility_is_not_a_luxury, it’s also about the relationship between me and others, between you and others.
Come in the comments, let’s see the problems you face too!
Let’s discuss them first, then maybe we can find a solution together. 😉
