Nothing About Us, Without Us

If you could erase one trend from history, what would it be?

As a person with a disability, if I could erase any “trend” in history, it would be the institutionalization of people with disabilities. I have heard many non-disabled people say that without that horrific time, the movement wouldn’t have started. And they are slightly right, but that doesn’t make it right.

We are talking about the abuse of a group of people, all because there was a lack of education, support, and compassion within our society. We are talking about a group of people who didn’t have a say in their own medical choices.

Also, think about how society was back then; mothers were told that they had to hide their children from society. They were sent away to an institution because the medical staff convinced them that this was what was best for their child (ren). They were also told not to discuss their child(ren) or even go visit them. Drop them off and leave. Of course, this was considered an “upgrade” from placing them in prisons with criminals.

The medical teams lacked so much education that it was easier for them to “send away” individuals with disabilities rather than challenge their own beliefs or education. Many medical teams seen disabled people as a blemish in their clientele as well. Thinking things like “what will society say if they find out that I have a hearing-impaired child on my patient list? Will they find another doctor? Will they think that because I wasn’t able to cure the child, I no longer know what I’m doing? Sending him away or not treating him was what they felt was their best option. And forget it if the people with a disability were from a different culture. They didn’t even get to see a doctor! Some doctors even said that the disability came from their culture or because they had “evil spirits” or that they or their family had made God mad.

If I could skip any time in history, that would be it, and move it to not where we are now, but in the future. Where disabled people are understood and accepted by all. They are loved and cared for with compassion and empathy, and met with an understanding team. Where education is always evolving and taught. Where nothing about us is made without us being present.