Becoming/being, disabled?

[Sylvia]

Crankin, I think this reaction is not uncommon.
RebeccaC, yes things have come a long way.

It doesn't bother me when someone uses the word disabled or even handicapped; they are words with a specific meaning that I'm fine with. But what I find difficult, is when the differences are made out to be much larger than they are. For me, differently abled, or special needs, often become a form of euphemistic labels which still have an emphasis on the difference. When we make differences out to be greater than they are, or place more emphasis on the differences than on the similarities, it is like there is a tie or a bond that we damage. Almost a "you are not like us" even though it is never blatantly stated that way. And so when someone suddenly finds themselves on the receiving end of that, WOW... not only do you have to deal with the physical changes but you have a pile of other stuff as well. Things like pity, or patronizing attitudes, or even being someone's inspiration. And you just want to say STOP because you just want to be accepted as yourself.

I have often wished that my disability were seen as no different than someone who just had to wear glasses to see.
And I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining when I say that, but I do think how we view disabilities could have an impact on how we (as we get older) and others are able to adjust to our limitations.