When I feel the judgment of others, I don’t think they’re intentionally trying to be hurtful or demeaning, but they are. I can empathize with people of different ethnicities, with language barriers, economic backgrounds and abilities. I am a ventilator -dependent quadriplegic. I cannot tell you how often people address questions or statements about me to the non-disabled people with me like I’m not there. Even my doctors and healthcare professionals treated me as less than. I’m sure it’s unintentional. It’s frustrating and demeaning. It has made me more aware of how others who face prejudice feel about their treatment based on appearance. I pray that sharing my experience will make you more aware of how you treat others. If you have questions about a disabled person, look at them and ask the question. My disabilities prevent me from speaking aloud. I mouth my words and those with me will translate for me. A deaf person requires their sign language to be translated, but you should address them directly
