Disability Myths You Should Stop Believing

Disabled people often experience more discrimination than non-disabled people because disability is often wrongly portrayed in the media. People sometimes will believe things that are simply not true because they watched a TV program about a disabled person and thought that is what it is like to be disabled, which is part of the problem. The media plays a major role in disabled people facing more discrimination because there are far too many movies that portray disabled people as depressed and incapable, and it’s not surprising that disabled people feel alone. There is so much disability stigma with all disabilities in the media that people believe that is harming the disabled community. What are some of the most common disability myths? In this post, I am going to bust some common disability myths that you may have heard or even believed that are simply not true.

Disabled people can’t have children- As a disabled person, I have no desire to have children because I have too many challenges, and my disability has made me not want kids, but even though I don’t want them it doesn’t I can’t have them. One of the biggest myths that people sometimes believe is that disabled people can’t have children, which could not be more wrong, and many people do. Pregnancy is more difficult for a disabled person with a physical disability, and there are more risks, but people with physical disabilities can have children, and some people just don’t want them. Some disabled people may have fertility issues or have medical conditions such as endometriosis that may make getting pregnant more difficult. Disabled people can have children and be just as good parents as non-disabled people. I have no idea if I am able to have kids because I have never had that conversation with my doctor, but if I am not able to have children, it has nothing to do with the fact that my legs don’t work. Parenting with disability is much harder, but it is possible for disabled people to get pregnant and have kids.

All disabled people inspiring– Non-disabled people often will go up to random strangers with disabilities and tell them they are inspiring because it is often believed that all disabled people are inspirations. Some disabled people are inspiring, but not all disabled people are inspiring because you have to do something to be inspiring, and a person shouldn’t be considered inspiring solely based on the fact that they have a disability. I am not an inspiration because I got out of bed today and brushed my teeth, and I am just doing what needs to be done like everyone else. I may do tasks differently sometimes to accommodate my disability, but that doesn’t make me an inspiration because disabled people go to parties drunk and do stupid things that are the complete opposite of an inspiration. Please stop telling disabled people they are inspiring for no reason, because it is insulting to tell a disabled person that their existence is inspirational.

Disabled people can’t live on their own- It is more expensive to be disabled because sometimes you need more help and have to pay for services that a non-disabled person could do themselves. As a disabled person with a physical disability, I would have to invest in more services if I were living on my own, but it is possible because I can do most everyday tasks without assistance. The government sometimes makes it more difficult for a disabled person to live on their own because, despite what some people believe, the government doesn’t give disabled people everything we need to thrive. Some disabled people will need more help to be able to live on their own, but you can live on your own even if you are completely dependent on others because you can’t hire people to help you do things that you aren’t able to do yourself.

If you don’t look disabled, you must be faking- Invisible disabilities exist because not all disabled people use wheelchairs, and some people may not need them at all or only use them some of the time, because ambulatory wheelchair users exist. Some people will have more visible disabilities, but even though someone doesn’t look disabled, that doesn’t mean they are a faker, because a vast majority of disabilities are invisible, and you cannot see them. Non-disabled people sometimes are quick to yell faker at someone who pulls up in an accessible parking spot that doesn’t look disabled, and we need to stop doing that. Most people do not fake disabilities, and it’s something that the media wants you to believe, which is harming the disabled community. Some people fake disabilities, but I don’t think that people faking disabilities is as much of a problem as people think it is.

People with invisible disabilities struggle less– When you have an invisible disability, often it can be assumed that you struggle less than someone with a more visible disability, but that is not always true because even though you can’t see someone’s pain, that doesn’t mean you struggle less. It only means that your challenges are as easy to see, but even though you can’t see them, it doesn’t mean they aren’t real. People with invisible disabilities can struggle more than someone with a visible disability or just as much as they do, and we need to stop associating invisible disability with less challenges. I know a lot of people with invisible disabilities who struggle more than I do.

Disabled people go to the bathroom in a completely different way- When you have a physical disability, it is often assumed that you can’t go to the bathroom in the same way as non-disabled people. Sometimes people will have no boundaries and will ask a disabled person how they go to the bathroom. As a disabled person, I cannot go to the bathroom in the same way a non-disabled person can, and without my catheter, I would not be able to go, but not all disabled people struggle with going to the bathroom. Most people with Spina Bifida will not be able to pee without a catheter, but not all disabled people struggle with going to the bathroom, and some people can go in the same way a non-disabled person can. You should never assume that just because someone uses a wheelchair, their bladder function also doesn’t work, and that is only true some of the time!

All disabilities need cures– Non-disabled people often will go up to a disabled person and tell them how to cure themselves because it is often believed that all disabled people are miserable and desperate for a cure. Some disabled people struggle more and will have a stronger desire to be cured, but the belief that everyone wants one is simply not true. Cures are something that non-disabled people think we need because it would make them more comfortable, but not all disabled people are desperate for a cure. Some disabled people are happy being disabled and have no desire to be cured because you can be happy while living with a disability.

There are a lot of disability myths in the media, and the only way we will unlearn these myths is by listening to disabled people, because the media only makes people more terrified to be disabled. When you are disabled, it is hard to live in a world designed for non-disabled people, but it’s not hard because my legs don’t work, and it’s hard because people see my disability before they see me as an individual. There is so much disability stigma in the world, and I couldn’t possibly list every myth in one post because I am only one disabled person and only know the myths based on my experiences. There are a lot of disabilities I don’t have that I wouldn’t know the myths of, which is why you can’t believe everything you hear. If you hear something about a disability that you think might not be true, ask a disabled person with that disability before you post it online, and don’t become part of the problem! What disability myths have you heard? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.

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