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False Binaries & Disabled Being

Who gets to call themselves (physically) disabled?

By Pretty Social RejectPublished 3 years ago 9 min read
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A photograph of the handicap symbol painted on the asphalt of a parking space.

Disability is a popular topic while the world is still wracked by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which previously healthy and able-bodied individuals now grapple with post-infectious chronic conditions that have drastic effects on their lives. In social media spaces where disability and chronic illness are discussed, I continue to encounter a multitude of posts that revolve around whether one "counts" as physically disabled or is "disabled enough" to use certain resources that might improve their health and functioning in everyday life. These social media users typically cite physical symptoms that limit or entirely prevent many of their activities and responsibilities but have been led to believe that these limitations aren't significant due to misconceptions surrounding what qualifies a person as disabled. While this self-doubt may not seem like much on its surface, it comes from and exposes a pattern of ableism and medical neglect that occurs on both a systemic and individual level.

Truthfully, there is no "actual," universally agreed-upon definition of disability, nor an objective measurement to know for sure if one should be considered disabled or not. Disability's purpose is an arbitrarily determined socio-cultural concept that depends on the context it's being employed in. The legal definition in the United States that's used to determine whether certain individuals qualify for SSI/SSDI primarily revolves around one's ability to work. However, an inability to perform labor is not necessarily what defines disability in everyday circumstances; in a hypothetical situation where a full-time wheelchair-user works an accessible office job and makes a comfortable salary, it would be comical to claim said individual is not disabled based off their present disqualification from attaining SSI/SSDI and the legal definition of disability.

A broader understanding of disability is exemplified by the Oxford Dictionary, which defines "disabled" as "having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities." This definition is a more accurate reflection of the disabled population and closer to most of the non-legal, public perspectives people have on disability. Unfortunately, said public perspectives are seldom as generous as Oxford's description.

The model of disability that the majority of the population follows is not created through references to any dictionary or law, but through trends in how abled people mistreat disabled people, as well as how disabled people sometimes treat themselves as a result. Even if reliable sources state otherwise, disability is commonly viewed in absolutes. Someone who is disabled has to be so in a way that is easily and consistently observed by others. Alternatively or simultaneously, a disabled person absolutely cannot engage in a major life activity or perform a certain bodily function, regardless of circumstance. The image conjured up by the word "disabled" in many cases is a full-time user of a mobility aid such as a wheelchair or cane, whose condition renders them incapable of mobility without the assistance of such devices. This mentality has resulted in disabled individuals encountering harassment in public spaces, internet memes where the punchline is "this person in a wheelchair is standing up," and a prevalent obsession with accusations of faking or exaggerating disability. Paradoxically, disabled individuals who do meet this restricted criterion are not spared from the same or similar occurrences.

While many disabled people manage to fit into this polarized framework, there are just as many - if not more - for whom that is not the case. Some are physically capable of walking, but not for long periods without risking injury or loss of consciousness. Some have clear sight, but not in daylight or brightly lit areas. Some are capable of speech, but not in circumstances that cause them significant anxiety. Some can maintain employment, but they can only handle specific forms of labor or a modest number of hours per week. Some can achieve "normal" functioning on certain days but are unable to leave their house or even get out of bed on others. No small number of these individuals whose impairment is unclear or unfixed still have to rely on caregivers, medical teams, SSI/SSDI, or all of the above in order to go about their everyday life. That isn't to say disability should be determined using a perceived level of dependence on external aid, but the implication that people in these circumstances don't qualify as disabled due to the complexity of their situation is past the point of absurdity.

The widespread presence of social media users in chronic illness and disability spaces on social media who divulge issues like how walking often causes them significant pain, but that doesn't "count" or isn't severe enough to necessitate a mobility aid/the pursuit of treatment, is another product of this stigma. The resounding answer from myself and other social media users always ends up being "yes, you can and should call yourself disabled" or "yes, you absolutely should get a mobility aid or seek medical care in hopes of improving your health and well-being." Encountering this phenomenon so frequently leaves disturbed by how deeply ingrained the suppression of averse and distressing bodily experiences is in the present state of the world. That being said, these thoughts and doubts are familiar on a personal level.

Mental disability is another subject with similar prejudices, including a common belief that psychological conditions aren't or shouldn't be considered disabilities, a misconception that even SSI/SSDI requirements disagree with. Even with that being the case, a much smaller portion of my life passed by before coming to terms with mental disability, compared to two decades of being misled regarding my physical health and capabilities. A lack of education and resources coupled with parental and medical neglect instilled a rigid belief I was perfectly "healthy" and able-bodied. In actuality, I had an undiagnosed genetic condition that presented itself at a young age, numerous constant or recurrent physical issues, and frequent daydreams about using a cane/wheelchair myself while enduring periods of debilitating pain and fatigue. The choice to rely on an actual cane for support and stability in the face of regular joint dysfunction and flaring autonomic symptoms is one I won't regret. These are not experiences that "healthy" and able-bodied people have. The knowledge and awareness gained in accepting myself as a physically disabled person taught me that the reality of disability is an infinitely more complex experience than any dichotomous model.

Disability includes someone having to suffer through solitary manual labor work because they prefer excruciating pain and exhaustion over panic attacks that come with a social working environment. Disability includes someone struggling to regularly bathe themselves more than once a week at most because their other responsibilities sap all of their energy to an unreasonable degree. Disability includes struggling to cook or eat at least one meal a day due to persistent exhaustion or unpredictable fluctuations in appetite. Disability includes someone being sensitive to the heat enough that they feel sick after standing outside for a short time and continue to feel sick for hours afterward, even after moving to an air-conditioned environment. Disability includes someone with easily-triggered presyncope sitting themselves back against a counter in a grocery store when their vision starts to go black. Disability includes recurring instances where someone's kneecaps feel as if they are painfully sliding in and out of place move their legs, or buckling when they stand from a sitting position.

Disability includes someone having periods of persistent heart palpitations, physical exertion making them unreasonably out of breath, and also being borderline delirious to the point where they might come off as intoxicated. Disability includes someone sometimes having good days, where they might start to believe they've been imagining or exaggerating things until one or more of the above starts to happen again. Disability also includes experiences that may not look anything like what was just described. While physical disability is the primary topic of this article, disability can include mental conditions as well.

The fact of the matter is that any effort to overly restrict who can and cannot identify as disabled inevitably serves to reinforce socioeconomic oppression: harassment and abuse for existing in public, internalized ableism that dissuades those who very much need healthcare and resources from seeking them out, and exclusionary policies that fail many disabled people in need. Disabled people who use mobility aids or accessible resources in public spaces will be targeted by strangers who accuse them of "faking," or have entire social media threads made about them that are dedicated to the same concept. Medical practitioners will discount the concerns and needs of patients with symptoms of "invisible" conditions and put the health and safety of these patients at risk. The process for SSI/SSDI is unnecessarily arduous, inaccessible for many disabled individuals who it would help, and has created a belief every applicant is rejected the first time even if they are in desperate need of the support. Any theoretical benefits of this "disability binarism" are significantly outweighed by the ever-growing incidents of institutional and inter-personal ableist violence that occur as a result.

The myth that someone has to be disabled to a certain extent to use mobility aids is especially nonsensical. Mobility aids are not finite resources where ambulatory disabled people who acquire them are stealing resources from those who are non-ambulatory, and not every disabled person would benefit from or is capable of using a mobility aid. At the risk of being controversial, it's arguable that even if a person is sure they don't have any kind of physical condition but using a mobility aid helps them feel better and allows them to go about their day easier, they should also be "allowed" to use one. The only presumed requirement there should be for using a mobility aid is if the person thinks it would improve their quality of life, even if only in small ways. Any person who finds themselves thinking anything along the lines of "it hurts to walk sometimes but I can still technically walk, and I think a cane might help me" has successfully passed the metaphorical test of whether they should get a mobility aid or not. Discouraging or restricting usage of mobility aids has only resulted in misguided and unjustified social backlash against disabled individuals who use them, including those who aren't ambulatory.

There aren't and never should be qualifications for labeling oneself as disabled beyond the most rudimentary logic. Having any chronic physical or mental condition, even if not considered severe, is enough. Having chronic physical or mental problems that obstruct aspects of someone's life, even if they lack or aren't sure of a diagnosis, is enough. Demanding anything beyond these basic standards creates a hostile and unsafe environment for disabled people, even if they meet any further restrictions. While some disabled people are wholly incapable of "simple" actions or major aspects of "normal" life, a disabled person capable of performing such to a limited or variable extent does not discount their identity as disabled. Disability is a matter of self-determination regarding the lives and experiences of people with physical and mental conditions, not a basis for policing the lives and experiences of people other than ourselves.

humanity
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