Changing the Way You Think of “Disability”
International Disability Awareness Day is December 3rd. I have labeled myself as a person with a disability for many years. It is not a label that I use to get pity or to collect financial assistance. It is just how I am able to explain with one word that, though I am a successful, capable adult, I do have restrictions and limitations in some activities in my life.
A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions). A disabled person may not be handicapped if they can find a way around their disability. Often these are accommodations, but they may just be tools or strategies. Examples in these are hearing aids, braille, captioning, notebooks, phone apps, step stools, etc.