What Formed My Views on Disability
At the age of six, my idea of the world changed in ways I hadn’t expected during a visit to my grandmother’s village.Till that day our native village had been a place of simple joys and vibrant community life, but my attention was captured by a young girl, just a few years older than me, who moved in a way I had never seen before. She walked on all fours, her spindly legs trailing behind her. I watched, curious and puzzled, until I finally asked why she was crawling. The answer changed my perspective forever: she had survived polio, which had left her disabled. In the words of those around me, she was a“cripple.”
A girl called Shanno
Her name was “Shanno” and despite her condition, the girl was vivacious.She had sparkling eyes and was beautiful. Her smile was contagious and she possessed a playful spirit. Yet, her life was marked by barriers I could not fully comprehend at the time. Her family,uneducated, poor and struggling, didn’t believe in the value of education for her. “What’s the point?” they would say. “The school is too far away for her to crawl.As if education could help her secure a better future!”
In those days rural women did not go out to work nor was it encouraged.
In fact for Shanno, even the premise of marriage was out of question.
I went back to my city life but the haunting image of Shanno waddling on all fours in a torn knicker stayed with me.The huge differences in our quality of life nagged at my little conscience.
It tormented me that while I went to school every morning, she remained at home, crawling along the dirt paths of the village.While I went out to carve my destiny she was condemned to live a life void of opportunity, dignity and purpose.
As I grew older, I continued to visit my grandmother’s village and saw this girl transform into a lovely teenager. At 16 years of age, she still moved on all fours, her clothes often torn at the knees from the constant crawling along the rough roads. The stark contrast between our lives was impossible to ignore. I had access to education, comfortable clothes, and dreams for the future, while she seemed trapped in a cycle of poverty and isolation.
Her life—and the lives of others like her—became a constant point of reflection for me. I would often wonder: How could two lives be so drastically different, simply because of health and circumstance? Why should someone’s potential and dignity be defined by an illness or condition that was beyond their control?
A Formative Lesson in Inequality
The image of that girl crawling in the village stayed with me long after those visits. Her life was a constant reminder of the inequality that exists in our world. I began to understand that disability was not just a personal tragedy but a societal failure. It wasn’t simply about the physical challenges she faced; it was about the lack of opportunities and the deep-rooted stigma that condemned her to a life of dependency.
In our society, disability often strips people of their humanity in the eyes of others. They become invisible, their potential dismissed, and their existence pitied. It troubled me deeply that while I was given the tools to thrive—an education, social acceptance, and the freedom to dream—she was denied even the most basic of these opportunities.
The Larger Picture
As I matured, I realized that her story was not unique. Around the world, millions of people with disabilities face similar struggles. Many are deprived of education, meaningful employment, and social inclusion. They are viewed as burdens rather than contributors, often left to survive on the fringes of society.
This realization sparked a desire in me to understand the systemic barriers that people with disabilities face and, more importantly, to work towards dismantling them. Disability is not a reflection of a person’s worth or capability. It is society’s failure to accommodate and include that creates the real limitations.
Changing Narratives, Changing Lives
Shanno taught me that dignity, respect, and opportunity should be the birthright of every individual, regardless of their physical or mental condition. Her life, and the stark comparison to my own, became a driving force in shaping my views on disability and inequality.
Society’s attitudes toward disability must change. Instead of pity or dismissal, we need empathy and action. Accessible education, inclusive workplaces, and supportive communities can transform lives. But it starts with recognizing the inherent value of every individual and rejecting the idea that a disability diminishes a person’s potential.
A Call for Inclusion
We all have a role to play in building an inclusive world. Whether it’s advocating for policy changes, creating accessible environments, or simply changing the way we perceive and interact with people with disabilities, every action counts. The journey toward inclusion begins with empathy and understanding, but it requires commitment and collective effort.
The girl I met in my childhood village is a constant reminder of what we stand to lose when we ignore the potential of people with disabilities.Shanno could have become a pioneering scientist or a great writer had she access to developing her potential.She also reminds me of the transformative power of opportunity and inclusion. Today, I carry her story with me, and it fuels my determination to contribute to a more equitable and compassionate world.
Inclusion isn’t just an ideal; it’s a necessity. And it starts with recognizing that everyone, regardless of ability, deserves the chance to live a life of dignity, purpose, and fulfillment.
This post is a part of “International Day of Persons with Disability” blog hop hosted by Sakshi Varma – Tripleamommy. #IDPD2024Bloghop. Access all posts of this bloghop at https://tripleamommy.com/2024/12/02/beyond-barriers-amplifying-voices-for-inclusion-marking-idpd-2024/.
This post is a part of Blogchatter’s initiative #CauseAChatter
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla and supported by Ivorystation, a new-age luxury website.
Image courtesy: Fotor
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