What We've Learnt this Disability Awareness Month

Today is International Day of Disabled Persons and the end of Disability Awareness Month! Just last month, we began an awareness campaign that centred around distigmatisating the three overarching categories of disabilities - namely, visible, invisible, and temporary disabilities. 

 
With the help of multiple contributors, we have done just that! As we celebrate this day, and the conclusion of this incredible month of awareness raising, we want to share a few concluding tips. 
 
1. Do not pity people 
 
Almost all the contributors who had either invisible or visible disabilities asked for the same thing. They asked that they not be pitied. As such, unwanted and unwarranted pity should be avoided at all costs. 
 
2. Do not undermine people's lived experiences 
 
Undermining lived experiences ranges from telling people who have visual impairments that they are just "pretending to be blind" to insisting that people with chronic pain are "too young" to feel said pain. Although such statements can be good-natured, they often come across as condescending and hurtful. 
 
On the other hand, in an attempt to reach common ground with the person you are interacting with, you may end up alienating them or even minimising their daily struggles and triumps. Avoid saying things like "aren't we all a little ADHD", for instance. Phrases like these are a clear attempt at finding something relatable. They do not usually have the intended outcome though. If you want to have a conversation or become friends with a person with a disability, find things in common that do not centre around their disability.
 
3. Understand that people are more than their disabilities 
 
Whereas people with visible disabilities tend to just be viewed as the particular disability they have, people with invisible disabilities are usually not believed. In both cases, people should focus on centring the person at hand's humanity when interacting with them. Do not tell people with invisible disabilities that they do not "look" disabled. Do not assume that all people with visible disabilities are the same. 
 
Conclusion 
 
There is much more that we've learnt throughout this month - the bulk of which can be found on our social media platforms. As BOLD, we hope that you will implement what you've learnt (and what you will learn in the future) in your daily life. Understand that even the tips we've shared are not the end all be all. Everybody's experiences - even people with the exact same disabilities - can differ wildly. 
 
Continue to research. Continue to talk to people with disabilities - just casually of course. If they are comfortable doing so, ask how you can better interact with them. Continue to emBOLDen yourself with knowledge!
- Author Celiwe Mxhalisa

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