Disabilities and Differences:
Disability, Differences, and Chronic Illness
Its important for us to discuss all the ways that understand our bodies can benefit us; many of us as children didn't understand our pains and aches when we first experienced them. If you are experiencing more pain than usual or having different perception, it can be hard to determine that for yourself at a young age. For this reason many learning differences and disabilities, chronic illnesses, and other medical issues go on noticed for a long period of your youth. Some Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities force people to grow up a lot earlier than they expected to, and have difficult conversations about health and benefits of possible treatments. Just because someone may not appear to have a disability or difference, doesn't mean they don't have one. If you are an abled bodied individuals it can be hard to take this kind of respect or understanding into context, because you haven't experienced it. That is okay, but it doesn't mean it is okay to disregard the people impacted by Ableism around you. Many social systems have several forms of ableism build into them, we saw this as the pandemic made many businesses and their employees learn how to work from home and adapt to different environments in the hope of preserving life.
It's also key to rememeber that the differences that any individual may experience may change the ways in which they choose to experience sexual pleasure, comfort, etc. So it's important to keep really good communication when engaging in any sexual acts, but even more when you are navigating a body or feature that you may not understand yet.
Different ways Disabilities or Differences can be experienced:
Please note that these types of disabilities can be experienced together, at the different times, or even be sourced form the same condition.
Learning Differences/ Disabilities
Learning Differences refers to the ways that the brain can function differently during childhood and adulthood due to the surroundings our society provides. These differences can be neurological conditions, language barriers (ASL, Braille, etc.), and other differences. It is vital that we remain aware of the ability these individuals have, and the accessibility we don't provide to allow them to do so. Many differences or disabilities have been referred to in the past in degrading and horrendous ways.
This makes it our responsibility to allow these individuals an accessible environment to thrive in when it comes to work, social places, etc.
Mobile Disabilities
Mobile disabilities are a likely more noticable to people who are able-bodied. However, mobile disabilities can be contracted at any age for a long list of reasons. All of us at any time may face a disability, in which we would face inaccessibility due to the constriction of disabilities out of the public in the past.
A majority of our cities and public areas are still not updated to be accessible for all.
It is never our place to judge or discuss someone elses modes of assistance, as daily needs may change.
Age is never a constraint on the physical disabilities someone may have.
Functional Disabilities
This refers to a type of disability that affect a person in such a way that functioning in their daily life has become hindered in any way. Many times this can occur from a life event; where one type of lifestyle was accessible at some point, and now that accessibility has changed. This can be caused by a disease, physical accident, mental health, or condition worsening over time. This kind of disability is often overlooked, due to the ways that loss of lifestyle and daily actions can be overlooked by medical staff.
Functional disabilities can affect anyone in anyway and it's never our place to intervene unless someone is seeking help or you ask to help first and they agree.
Assistive Devices and who uses them?
Not everyone chooses to use assistive devices, but when they do they often cost a lot of money even with medical insurance. It's important that we keep our minds open to other's experiences instead of assuming what we would do given the situation.
Certified Service Animals
Service animals come in all shapes and sizes.
When present with someone who has a Service Animal, it is Not Appropriate to:
Ask them why they have a service animal.
Ask them for documentation that the animal is a service animal, such paperwork does not exist.
Talk about need or requirements for service animals.
Touch their service animal without their distinct permission or request.
Engage their animal in anyway, even if this means redirecting children.
When present with someone who has a Servce Animal, it is Appropriate to:
Explain to younger children (if they are with you) as to why that animal's job is important and we have to give them the space to do their job. (Make it an awesome learning moment!)
Stand up and Speak up if service animal (and their owner's) rights are being violated by others.
Ask the service animal's name if you have been given the opportunity to interact with the owner.
When you believe or know there is any emergency due to an Alert from a Service Dog:
(At any point you are no longer needed, remove yourself and don't openly discuss the event. Call 911 immediately or ask for assistance from bystanders to call 911.)
Immediately assess the owner for injury, unconsciousness, seizure, pulse, breath sounds.
Alert management of the establishment.
Politely ask the people near by to clear the area for some more personal space.
If the owner is unconscious or unable, find the name of the service animal and talk to them about how things are okay.
You can reassure the service animal and assist professionals as needed.
(If you are in a place where help is taking a little more time) Stay with the person and Service Animal, until help arrives, & ask if anyone around you can provide professional medical help.
If a person is unconscious please elevate their head/chest and make sure their air way is open.
Remind yourself that this may seem traumatic or sudden to you, but their service animal may be providing them with this support regularly. It is not our place to make more or less out of a situation that is not ours.