Image credit: Bethany Mollenkof for The New York Times

Did you know that March was Disability Awareness Month??! Don’t worry, we got you! Disability Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges that people with disabilities face every day and to promote inclusion and accessibility in all areas of society. It also provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to share their stories and experiences, and to advocate for their rights and needs. Here at youB, we are highlighting our “Healthy Us” youB Value of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to celebrate and honor the achievements of people with disabilities, and to work towards a more inclusive world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. In today’s post, we help you discover what it even means to have a disability, and how you can be an informed advocate for someone with a disability. If you connect with a “Healthy Us” youB Value like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, this post is sure to give you the tools you need to be an ally or advocate for disability rights. [/youb_block]

What does having a disability even mean?

1- Unique & Complex Disabilities have different meanings in different contexts. 2- Lack of Equitable Access A person\’s basic human needs required to function normally with the rest of the world is not being met. 3- Visible & Invisible Beyond internal factors (physical, learning) there are endless external factors (social, gender-based, economic etc.) that dictate day-to-day impacts.

How can I be more informed?

Educate Yourself

• Get informed, spark a conversation with someone with a disability; ask questions.

Empathy over Sympathy

• Don\’t compare or invalidate.
• Listen and advocate.

Avoid Toxic Positivity

• Comments like “Your case is not that bad” “Many others have it worse” completely invalidated their experience.

Disabilities are subjective. NOT objective.

See the PERSON. Not the DISABILITY.