“I wonder if the world is ready to understand that people with disabilities are not here to inspire nondisabled people to appreciate their own lives or bodies more?”. That is what the digital influencer questions Mariana Torquato in your social media. After coming across yet another post comparing the situation of a person with a disability (just like hers) with that of a person without a disability, she decided to make a very educational video about ableism.
In the image criticized by Mariana, a woman appears who improvised her own wheelchair to transport heavy objects, overcoming mobility barriers she would face due to having a physical disability. A caption accompanies it: “We complain about life so easily over so little.”, suggesting that able-bodied people should be grateful for not having the same difficulty as the person in the photo.
I wonder if the world is ready to understand that people with disabilities are not here to inspire nondisabled people to value their own lives or bodies more? ♀️ pic.twitter.com/SRb6jHxIs6
— Mari PcD – Primeiro Comando da Deficiencia ♿️ (@VaiUmaMaozinhAi) June 11, 2020
“These videos and photos of people with disabilities doing common activities, which wouldn't be inspiring at all when performed by people without disabilities, are widely shared out there. And what causes this feeling of pity and emotion is the ableism that lives inside you.”, wrote Mariana.
She explained that this line of thought is a consequence of the idea that people with disabilities are incapable and, therefore, anything they do is considered an example of overcoming.
“Look, the day I climb Everest with one hand, then you can call me an example of overcoming adversity, but if I'm washing dishes or cutting an onion, understand that I'm just surviving, just like you”, the YouTuber from the channel justified “Need a hand?”.
In the video, Mariana also describes the feeling caused by ableism. “It is as if we were in this world so that you feel pity and are inspired to be a better person who doesn't complain as much”, he said.
SOURCE:
Hypeness
