Allison M Boot's Blog, page 5

What Do My VIP Readers Want???

Hey All,

I have been writing several blogs lately while in the midst of preparing to publish my second book, The Magic Within.  I have sincerely enjoyed doing so and I hope you have liked reading them just as much.  With that said, it occurred to me today that I haven’t asked you guys what you want in a while. What do you guys want me to write?  What elements are in the books that you most like to read?  What do you and/or the tween/young adult readers you know most like to read?  What factors do you and/or the tween/young adult readers that you know consider what deciding whether or not to to purchase and/or read a book?  Please take a moment to any answer any of those questions that you can and I will do my best to keep in mind what you guys, my VIP readers, want while writing my future books. Until then…happy reading and remember to love yourself just the way you are!

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Don’t Just A Book By How It’s Published

As you may or may not know, I self-published Just the Way You Are in November 2015. The fact that I self-published the book means that I not only wrote the book, but had it formatted and copyrighted, bought an ISBN number, designed the book, and had full creative input on my website design. Although I love all the freedom the being a self-published author affords me, it was not a decision I came to lightly. In fact, I originally tried to go the traditional route and find a publisher, but after receiving thirty rejection letters, I’d begun to lose hope. At that point, I asked myself whether or not I believed in the book enough to share it with the world. Once I realized the answer to that question was a definite yes, I pursued self-publishing. Some people may read this blog post and say that I self-published because I could not get published in the traditional way, but truth be told, I chose to stop pursuing being published in the traditional way because I realized the story was put on my heart and not anyone else’s, so therefore it was my duty to do whatever I could to share it with the world instead of just giving someone else the opportunity to share with the world.

The book went through several drafts and was edited by four different people apart from myself. To say that it was gone through with a fine-tooth comb several times would be an understatement. While Just the Way You Are has not received many reviews in the two years since it was published, those that it has received are generally very positive. Furthermore, people who have read the book have told me that they enjoyed it very much and that it is very well written. However, many people assume that it is not a very good story, or at least, not a well-written story just because I self-published it. Many other self-published authors that I’ve met in person or through groups on social media say that they have the same problem. Many people believe in and support the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover.”  In my opinion, “don’t judge a book by how it’s published” should also be a saying because the quality of the story and the quality of writing the should be what is most important. With all due respect to Stephenie Meyer, I cringed the whole time I read the Twilight series because there were so many errors in it. I’ve chosen to point that out because she is one of the most successful writers out there and very respected in a literary community yet her books were full of errors. My book, which as I said, was edited by several different people and does not have errors in it, but is not respected because I self-published it. Does that make sense to you?  It doesn’t make sense to me.

Please do not get me wrong, I’m not writing this blog to complain even though it may seem that way.  I am writing this book to point out that a book should not be judged by how it’s published, but rather on the story itself and how it is written because chances are most books that are self-published by authors are self-published not because the author isn’t a good writer and could not get traditionally published, but because the authors, like me, believed in their stories enough to share them with the world despite discouraging feedback they may have received.  Furthermore, as I pointed out earlier in this post, self-published authors has more say and must contribute more to the publishing process than traditionally published authors and should, in my opinion, be respected based on that alone. Again, I’m not trying to be argumentative, I’m just trying to help people see the commitment that self-publishing a book requires and point out the fact that self-published author should be respected for making and sticking to that commitment. I hope you will remember this blog post the next time you see a book by a self-published author. Until next time, happy reading!

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My Mission as a Writer & Advocate

Aside from Just the Way You Are, can you recall the last book you read about a person with a disability that did not fall under the self-help or parental guidance category? Chances are, if you can, the representation of that character with a disability was a Tiny-Tim or Quasimodo type portrayal.  According to a September 2014 article in Disability Studies Quarterly, while the number of characters with disabilities in children’s literature has increased in recent years, many such books have subliminal and/or outwardly negative messages about those with disabilities. As an advocate and writer, I strive to change that. By including characters with disabilities whom have depth and are not stereotypical portrayals in my books, I hope to change the way kids and young adults see those with disabilities. Additionally, I hope to make people see that having a disability is not necessarily a negative thing. People with disabilities can do anything able-bodied people can do. We just have to do it a little differently.  I hope to encourage readers to accept and embrace others differences because the sooner we accept and embrace our differences, the sooner they will become just that…differences.  My mission as a writer and advocate is to help readers see that ultimately we are all just people who should accept and embrace our differences and love one another just as we are. Do you think that Just the Way You Are helped to accomplish this goal?  Do you have suggestions as to how I can continue to fulfill this mission in the future?  Sound off now…thanks!

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Advice for Aspiring Authors

In preparation to publish my second book, The Magic Within, in early 2018, I have joined quite a few author groups on social media. I am enjoying talking to my fellow authors a lot and have received some great advice from many of them. With that said, I thought I would pay it forward and write a blog on advice I have for fellow authors. I have 5 main pieces of advice.

1. Never force your writing. Only write if you enjoy it. If you enjoy your writing then others will too.

2. Write the stories in your heart because those are the stories you are most meant to share with others.

3. Write what you know, but remember that every bit of fiction is based on a bit of truth. 4. Life never turns out the way you think it’s going to, just go with it, and write when it feels right.
5. Being an author is different from being a writer.  Anyone can be a writer, but only those brave enough to share their work with others can call themselves authors. Being an author is about a lot more than writing. If you choose to have your work published or publish it yourself, be prepared to not only market your work, but stand by it at all times. If you don’t believe in your work then others won’t believe in it either. Also, do your best to try and develop a thick skin because even the best of books is subject to criticism in today’s social media age.



Are you a writer or aspiring author? If so, what advice do you have for your fellow writers/authors?  Comment on this post and let me know…thanks!

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A Wish for this Holiday Season

It’s Kara.  The holiday season is upon us. Misty and I have been hard at work today helping the castle staff decorate our home for what is sure to be an awesome holiday season.   I decided to take a short break and tell you all what I am hoping/wishing for this season.  As you know, Misty and Derrick opened up the hearts and adopted me a couple of years, giving me the home and family I’d always wanted. I gotta admit that I never expected to be royal and I’m getting use to the whole princess gig, but I love Misty and Derrick and living here is amazing.  Misty’s has already gone on numerous holiday sprees and well, let just say, every citizen in Starrycrest will be given a gift from the royal family this season. We’re giving a few extra to the boys and girls who still live the group home with Betsy because I know that there many kids and families in our kingdom and around the world who are not fortunate enough to have everything that my family and I have. My wish this holiday season is that all of you will also do something to help those who are less fortunate and may be in need of some holiday cheer.  You can donate to Toy for Tots, give to your local food bank, spend some time volunteering in a soup kitchen, or fulfill another need that you see in your community. Help out in any way you can. Just take some time to spread a little magic to those who need this holiday season. Trust me, a little magic goes a long way. Until next time…Happy Holidays to you and yours

Examine THIS

Examine This

Centuries ago William Shakespeare wrote the phrase “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Many people recognize the phrase which was made famous by Shakespeare’s tragic love story Romeo and Juliet, but few have taken the time to think about what it means. When I looked up the meaning of the phrase I found a few websites stating it means something like what matters is what something is, not what it is called. While this is a wonderful thought, it discounts how much stock society puts into the meaning our language assigns to the things and people around us. In the last Examine This, I discussed oppression of people with disabilities throughout history and how it still exists in society today even though some people think we are far too evolved to be oppressive toward any group of people. The language used in society is one reason oppression has always existed and does, in fact, still exist. Throughout this century, people with disabilities have been described in many oppressive ways. According to an article entitled, “A Little History Worth Knowing,” which can be found on www.acils.com, legislators from Vermont once referred to us as “a blight on mankind.” Worst yet, legislators from South Dakota once said that we “did not deserve the rights and liberties of normal people.” The language used to describe people with disabilities today is not as blatantly oppressive, but is still oppressive nonetheless.

The importance of language is discussed in The Access Center’s disability awareness training that has been described in prior newsletters. During the training, our director describes how language is a series of words strung together to assign meaning, but some words have more than one meaning. Take the word “handicap,” for example, in golf, a handicap is used to level the playing field among participants. The higher a person’s handicap score is the poorer a player he/she is considered, so having a high handicap is considered to be negative. As you know, this term is sometimes used to describe people with disabilities as well. Disabled is another term used to describe people with disabilities. During the training, our director also asks people what comes to mind when they are driving and hear on the radio there is a disabled vehicle on I-75. Most people admit that they assume the car is broken and needs to be dragged off and fixed. Previous editions of Examine This have talked about how the Access Center Staff believes that disability is a natural part of life. A person having a disability does not necessarily mean he/she is ill and it does not mean that he or she is broken. Unfortunately, that is how some able-bodied people view people with disabilities, thanks in part to the language used to describe us in society. As I explained above, the term disabled is commonly associated with the fact that something needs to be fixed. How is that supposed to make people with disabilities feel? As someone who has been asked if I want to be cured many times I will say that it makes me feel inadequate and as though something is wrong with me even though I know there is nothing wrong with me. I have to live my life a little differently from other people, but just because something is different does not mean it is wrong. I am close to some of the people who have questioned me about whether I want a cure for my disability. I will admit that I have gone through periods of depression in my life because those people have made me feel as though I am not good enough. The people who have asked if I want a cure for my disability do not realize that they are essentially asking whether I’d like to be a different person. I say that because for better or for worse, my disability is a part of me. Although it does not define me, I know I’d be a different person if I didn’t have it.

This and the stories discussed on the cover of this newsletter are examples of internalized oppression which sadly occurs often in society today. According to Centers for Independent Living, oppression is defined as things that devalue, burden, obstruct, intimidate, or get in the way. Internalized oppression occurs when people internalize the things that get in their way to the point that it affects how they feel about themselves. In preschool, we become familiar with the phrase “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” The fact that internalized oppression is still so prevalent today shows the phrase is far from true. Words are powerful and can make all the difference. I am not going to leave you with a mind-bending question like I normally do at the end an of Examine This article. Instead, I am going to further point out that oppression is always present whether it be blatant or quiet. It is especially present in the Disability Rights Movement and the only way we can ever conquer oppression and achieve equal rights is by acknowledging it, discussing it, and working through it. So as an ending to this article, I ask that you use the power behind your words for good. Don’t ignore oppression or make light of it. Staying silent is just as bad as actually oppressing someone. Instead, speak up and make people aware of oppression because that is the only way that we are going to overcome it.

Note: This article was originally published in the Winter 2013 edition of the Access Center for Independent Living newsletter, the Accessible Community Examiner, which I wrote for the two and half years I worked there. The Access Center for Independently is a non-profit in Dayton, Ohio that works to ensure that people with disabilities have full and complete access to the community in which they choose to live.

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A look at what it means to embrace a disability

A look at what it means to embrace a disability

When I first began working here at the Access Center, other staff members would sometimes talk about the difference between accepting a disability and embracing a disability. I believed that I understood the difference. I thought if someone had accepted his/her disability it meant that he/she was okay with the fact that he or she had a disability and would always have to live with the challenges that accompany it. I viewed embracing a disability as accepting it and agreeing to live life to the fullest in spite of it. It was not until the Access Center hosted a screening of the documentary “Lives Worth Living” that I truly understood what it means to embrace a disability. The documentary talked about every milestone of the Independent Living Movement from the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 to the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The aspect of the film that particularly struck me was the footage of people with disabilities climbing up the steps of the Capital building in the fight to get the ADA signed. A portion of the footage focused on a young girl, who could not have been more than six or seven, climbing the steps alongside people three and four times her age. The determination in her eyes as she made her way up the steps was as evident as the anger in the crowd at the Capital building that day. Watching her struck a chord with me because I can remember a time when I was that determined for an entirely different reason.

Despite having been born with my disability, it took me longer than one might think to accept it. Growing up I was one of just a few kids with disabilities in mainstream classes throughout my school district so it was obvious to me that I was different. I didn’t see my difference as things I had to come to terms with, but rather things I had to overcome. As a young girl I was determined to someday be able to walk. Instead of discouraging me or telling me to pursue a more realistic dream, my family was very supportive. So supportive that they took me to have a type of therapy called Biofeedback, which has helped people with conditions similar to mine gain the ability to walk. We went down to Miami for two to three weeks every summer for years so I could go through therapy sessions. As I got older and became more involved in school activities, I decided to stop. I will never regret having done the therapy. It significantly improved my weight bearing ability as well as the overall strength of my back and I am sure it had a part in making me the person who I am today. The doctor who developed this particular method of therapy, Bernard S. Brucker, was brilliant. I have missed him and the cow jokes he was known for telling every day since I decided to stop doing the therapy. But at that time, I began to realize that in order to truly move forward in life, I was going to have to focus on living with my disability instead of overcoming it. However, it was not until I went to Wright State University, saw others with disabilities doing amazing things with their lives, and became part of a community of people with disabilities that I accepted my own disability.

I am embarrassed to admit this now, but I used to think that if I completely embraced my disability and committed to advocacy efforts, that my disability would be the only thing people thought of when they thought of me. Yes, I am a person with a disability, but I am also a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and a writer. It has always been important to me to have people identify me as something other than the girl in the wheelchair because who I am goes so far beyond the hunk of metal I have to sit in everyday. There was footage of a few different protests in the documentary. At each protest, Disability Rights Leaders like Judy Heumann and Wade Blank emphasized that people with disabilities were fighting for a civil right. At one protest fighting for accessible public transit, Judy told a reporter that people with disabilities have the right to have a job, raise a family and use the bus or train like everyone else. To me that comment was genius. After hearing it, I realized that my fears about completely committing to the fight for disability rights and losing the rest of my identity were ridiculous. I understand now that the other parts of my identity are just as important to the fight for disability rights as my having a disability is. After watching the documentary, I believe that the only way people with disabilities are going to get the rights that the rest of the world have is to show the rest of the world that even with our disabilities we are like them.

When it comes down to it, all people are people, disabilities or not. To win the fight for civil rights, people with disabilities have to show the world that we are more than having a spinal cord injury, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, or any other disability. We have to show others that we are mothers and fathers, employees, and sons and daughters just like them. I realize now that embracing a disability is not about showing that you are or can be those things in spite of your disability, but about showing that you are or can be those things with your disability. It is about showing the rest of the world that those who embrace our disabilities believe our disabilities are a part of who we are, not barriers that we live in spite of. It took me a while to fully embrace my disability so I am not going to urge you into embracing yours. Instead I am going to say please join the fight when you are ready so that our kids’ generation won’t face the same obstacles as our generation.

Note: This article was originally published in the Fall 2012 edition of the Access Center for Independent Living newsletter, the Accessible Community Examiner, which I wrote for the two and half years I worked there. The Access Center for Independently is a non-profit in Dayton, Ohio that works to ensure that people with disabilities have full and complete access to the community in which they choose to live.

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Examine THIS

Examine This

Many groups of people have had to overcome oppression in this century. Most people think of the oppression that African Americans suffered during the Jim Crow era when the subject comes up. Society has come a long way over time and those groups have seen the light. It is now seen as unacceptable in society to oppress someone based on his/her race or religion. Society has made great strides towards acceptance and equality, but one group of people, the largest minority of all, has suffered oppression for centuries and is still struggling to overcome it. People with disabilities are very prevalent in society today thanks to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and other victories of the Disability Rights Movement, but that wasn’t always the case. For centuries, people with disabilities seemed non-existent, not because we were, but because we were hidden from society most of the time. The rare times that we were in society we were treated as inferior and subjected to acts of cruelty. Much of the oppression that people with disabilities have suffered is not discussed today because people are ashamed and embarrassed of past history, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened.

Disability Rights advocate and historian Paul Longmore wrote a number of books and essays on the history of people with disabilities. In one essay called “The Bargain,” he talks about how from the late 1860s until the 1970s, several American cities had ugly laws making it illegal for persons with “unsightly or disgusting” disabilities to appear in public. Some of these laws were called Unsightly Beggar Ordinances. The goal of these laws was seemingly to preserve the quality of life for the community. People found in violation of these laws were arrested and forced to pay a fine ranging from $1-$50. To keep the “unsightly” disabilities from spreading, over half of the U.S. had adopted sterilization laws and sterilized many people with disabilities by the 1930’s because it was believed that they would breed more people like themselves. This is also cited as the reason that many people with disabilities were institutionalized and isolated from each other and people without disabilities at that time. Treating people with disabilities as though they were not human was not confined to the U.S. in the past. Paul also described in his essay how in Germany throughout the 1930’s tens of thousands of people with disabilities were put to death in hospitals by those who became the Nazi doctors, perfecting through these killings the techniques that would be later used in concentration camps. Most people think of the Holocaust as a tragedy rather than oppression. While it was a great tragedy, it is an also example of what oppression, in its most severe form, can lead to. As a person with a disability, it both saddens and sickens me to know I live in a world where my ancestors were subjected to torture for simply being themselves. Some of you who are reading this probably feel the same way and some of you probably feel that those things happened a very long time ago and people with disabilities should get over it. Let me ask, how many years have to pass for something to have happened a long time ago? Eight years ago Justice Antonin Scalia said he saw no constitutional reason why state agencies cannot discriminate against people he referred to as ‘handicaps.’ At that time people wanted to sue some states for making it difficult for those with disabilities to vote. In response, Scalia said some states may not have made it easy for “handicaps” to vote, but that is not reason enough for Congress to subject states to lawsuits. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist agreed. In comparison to the 1860’s or even the 1930’s, 2004 wasn’t that long ago, was it? Many people feel that our current society is far too enlightened to allow such oppression to occur anymore, but the fact is oppression still exists today, it just isn’t as obvious as it once was.

Paul Longmore’s aforementioned essay is titled for his bargain theory which states that able-bodied people often unconsciously tell people with disabilities that they will tolerate us in society if we are continuously cheerful and strive to be normal. Able-bodied people may feel that this theory is farfetched, but the media is constantly sending that message to people with disabilities by continually making the few characters with disabilities that are depicted in the media have very Tiny Tim like personalities. Another argument can be made that the lack of people with disabilities featured in commercial advertising sends the message that we are unattractive and do not meet the standards for normal and/or beautiful in society today. Messages in the media have contributed to other types of oppression for people with disabilities as well. A few weeks ago, I explained to one of my neighbors that I am not around the apartment building I live in very much because I work during the day. She responded by asking if I work as a greeter at Wal-Mart. I was flabbergasted to say the least. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having that type of job. I have relatives who have held such positions and enjoyed them very much. Nonetheless, I was very surprised and offended that someone would automatically assume that I work as a Wal-Mart greeter simply because I am in a wheelchair. It was not until I began doing research for the employment article that serves as the cover story for this newsletter that I realized how prevalent that employment stereotype is in regards to people with disabilities.

As a college graduate with a disability, I am frustrated that such a stereotype exists. Until I learned that as of 2011 just over 15% of people with disabilities in the U.S. were known to have earned a Bachelor’s Degree, I did not understand why it existed. Initially when I read that statistic and others about education and people with disabilities, I was frustrated and disappointed at the fact that the number of people with disabilities who pursue and complete higher education is so low. Judy Heumann and other disability advocates have fought long, hard battles for our right to get an education so I didn’t understand why more people with disabilities wouldn’t take advantage of that. When I began doing research for this article I realized it is because of oppression. Many people with disabilities in society have internalized the oppression we experience in society over time. Some have begun to believe that they shouldn’t pursue college or a job that requires more effort than that of a greeter at a retail establishment because they are not worth it. Some people with disabilities have begun to feel this way because instead of telling them otherwise, the media and other mass medians continue to convey messages that reinforce the above stereotype as well as others which add to the overall oppression in society. Above I mentioned how decades ago many people with disabilities were oppressed by being institutionalized and hidden from society. Many people do not realize that a number of people are still institutionalized to this day. According to www.ada.gov, in 1999 in a case known as Olmstead vs. L.C., the Supreme Court ruled that every state was required to eliminate unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities and to ensure that people with disabilities receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. Despite the fact that it has been 13 years since the Supreme Court made this decision, a number of people with disabilities are still in institutions because they do not know that programs like HOME Choice which provide them with the skills and resources needed to live on their own exist or they feel that even with the appropriate skills and resources they could not live on their own because life in an institution is all they know. Those people are being oppressed by the confining environment of institutions which will never allow them to reach their full potential.

A theme exists throughout this article. No matter what type of oppression was discussed, it involved people with disabilities being oppressed by society simply for being people with disabilities. As discussed in a couple of previous Examine This articles, people with disabilities cannot change the fact that they are people with disabilities. Many would choose not to change that fact if given the choice. Is it fair to oppress someone just for being who he/she is? People with disabilities cannot change the fact that they have disabilities any more than someone can change the color of his/her skin. It is now seen as unacceptable in society to oppress someone based on his/her race so why is it still acceptable to oppress people with disabilities?

Note: This article was originally published in the Fall 2012 edition of the Access Center for Independent Living newsletter, the Accessible Community Examiner, which I wrote for the two and half years I worked there. The Access Center for Independently is a non-profit in Dayton, Ohio that works to ensure that people with disabilities have full and complete access to the community in which they choose to live.

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Examine THIS

Examine This

Many businesses have reserved a few parking spaces near the entrance to make it easier for people with disabilities to come and go since the 1960’s. As a result, the symbol for people with disabilities is one of the most recognizable symbols in America today. Despite the fact that people can easily recognize the symbol and know what it means, many people abuse such parking spaces and use them not because they need to, but because they are lazy. My family and I have seen and confronted numerous people who have abused parking for people with disabilities since I was a little girl. The typical response when we call someone out on this is, “Oh I am only going to be in here for five minutes.” The fact is that whether someone who does not have a disability is in a parking space reserved for someone with a disability for five minutes or five days that person is breaking the law. As a result they could face a fine of up to $500. Many able-bodied people do not realize that when they park in spaces reserved for people with disabilities illegally just because it is convenient they could potentially be trapping someone in their vehicle by not giving them enough room to put down their lift and get out. How would you feel if someone parked to where you did not have enough room to get of your car? Next time you are faced with this situation ask yourself, is being five minutes ahead of schedule worth potentially trapping someone in his/her vehicle and risking a fine?

The issue of all parking reserved for people with disabilities being taken occurs more often these days because placards are requested and prescribed very liberally. It seems anyone with even the slightest impairment can go to a doctor and request a placard. It has gotten bad enough to where comedian Jay Leno is often making jokes about how people who have eaten too much pizza or cheesecake are now able to use parking reserved for people with disabilities. Don’t get me wrong, I know there are many people who legitimately need placards, but it seems like there are also some who do not and are taking advantage of the system out of laziness. When it occurs to you that you’d like to have a placard take a moment and ask yourself, do I really need this? Some of you probably work at companies that have reserved parking for people in leadership positions. Let me ask you, why is it that people will never park in spots reserved for a President/CEO, but will not hesitate before taking a space reserved for people with disabilities? The consequence of up to a $500 fine does not seem to bother most people because it is seen as less disrespectful to park in a space reserved for people with disabilities than to park in a space reserved for a President/CEO without permission. Most people would never park in a space reserved for someone in a leadership position at their place of work for fear it would be seen as disrespectful and they would face consequences. But for some reason, the same thought does not occur to some people when it comes to parking in spaces reserved for people with disabilities. Over the past few years people parking illegally in spaces for people with disabilities has become such an issue that the police departments in many different cities have been making sure the law is enforced and people face consequences. People with disabilities had to fight to make others in society realize we truly needed reserved parking. The fight not only got us reserved parking, but also paved the way for other groups like expectant mothers. People in leadership roles are often respected for their status and what they have had to accomplish to achieve it. Shouldn’t people with disabilities `be respected for winning the fight for the reserved parking that we need and deserve? Is it fair for able-bodied people to take advantage of something they did not fight for? Think about that the next time it occurs to you that it may be easier to use a parking space reserved for people with disabilities.

Note: This article was originally published in the Summer 2012 edition of the Access Center for Independent Living newsletter, the Accessible Community Examiner, which I wrote for the two and half years I worked there. The Access Center for Independently is a non-profit in Dayton, Ohio that works to ensure that people with disabilities have full and complete access to the community in which they choose to live.

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Examine THIS

Examine This

The television program 20/20 once featured a story about a girl with severe Autism who was non-communicative the first 11 years of her life. Her therapists believed she would never communicate and that she would always have the mental capacity of a six-year-old. It was not until she typed the words help and hurt on a computer while feeling sick one day that they realized that wasn’t the case. After a few more months of therapy, the girl was able to have a conversation with her parents through typing. Both were delighted, yet horrified, by the breakthrough because they had spoken about her as if she was not there for years, not knowing that she could understand them. Sadly, whether people have physical or developmental disabilities, others often look at them and assume that they are unintelligent, no matter how articulate they may be, because they have a disability. As the story above shows disability and intelligence are not necessarily linked. Often times, people look at others with disabilities and assume that having a disability is a setback. Believe it or not, some people with disabilities consider having a disability to be the opposite, an asset. This may sound strange to able-bodied people because it is difficult for them to understand how having a disability often teaches someone the importance of planning ahead and adapting.

A recent article in the New York Times discussed how with the right examples job candidates with disabilities can prove that they are right for positions because they can adapt to different situations more easily than other candidates. This philosophy can be applied outside of the workplace as well. For example, a movie recently came out about the first group of “special education” kids who went to space camp in 1988. Two teachers had to fight for the kids to be able to go because no program existed for students like them. The students ended up earning a number of second and third place awards while at space camp. It was said that the students did so well because of their months of preparation and ability to adapt to the unexpected. I can’t count how many people have spoken to me as if I were three years old when first meeting me because I have a physical disability. It makes me angry that people sometimes assume that I am unintelligent because I cannot walk. The two things are in no way connected, but some people don’t seem to understand that.

As angry as this makes me I am ashamed to admit I used to assume the same about some people with developmental disabilities. I went to school with a guy who had a severe form of Autism similar to the girl featured on 20/20. He was somewhat communicative, but would choose not to talk when he got angry. Instead he’d become very violent. After some incidents on the bus, school administrators asked his older sister to ride with him. It was shortly after that I learned how much he loved to read and spell. His sister would often spell words with him or let him read names out of a phonebook when trying to keep him calm. Over time, I learned that the ingredient labels on cleaning products contained some of his favorite words to spell. Anyone who has taken the time to read a cleaning product label knows how difficult some of the chemicals in them are to spell. I was put into mainstream education courses at age 6, have graduated from college, and still am not sure I could correctly spell some of the words this particular schoolmate of mine, who spent his days in the multi-handicap room, knew how to spell. When first faced with the fact that some of his abilities surpassed my own I was shocked and then after thinking about it more realized I was no better than the people who made assumptions about me based on my disability.

Having this epiphany made me realize that a disability, whether it is physical or developmental, does not impact a person’s intelligence, but rather the way a person learns and communicates. History supports such a belief. Some of the most influential people who have ever lived have had disabilities. For example, physicist Albert Einstein had disabilities and managed to completely change the way people viewed the world and universe during his lifetime. As discussed in the previous Examine This, having a disability is something that people cannot change about themselves. Furthermore, it is a natural part of the human experience that many people would choose not to change. With that said, making an assumption about someone’s intellect based on the fact that they have a disability is as unfair as making an assumption about someone’s intellect based on his/her race because the two things are not connected and cannot be changed. Remember that the next time you see someone with a disability and find yourself thinking that they are unintelligent. Then take a minute and remind yourself that whether he or she looks like it or not, that person could be the next Albert Einstein.

Note: This article was originally published in the Spring 2012 edition of the Access Center for Independent Living newsletter, the Accessible Community Examiner, which I wrote for the two and half years I worked there. The Access Center for Independently is a non-profit in Dayton, Ohio that works to ensure that people with disabilities have full and complete access to the community in which they choose to live.

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