If you are disabled, it is likely that you have had a conversation with a non-disabled person about cures because a lot of the time non-disabled people struggle to see how anyone could be happy with disability and think we need one. As a disabled person, I have been very vocal about my opinion on cures and don’t know if I would ever want one because believe it or not you can be happy and be disabled. When I tell non-disabled people that I don’t know if I would want a cure, it makes some people uncomfortable and sometimes gets misunderstood and people think I am anti-cure which is so far from true. I am not against cures and even though I wouldn’t personally want one that doesn’t mean I think they shouldn’t exist because some disabilities are more severe than others and we should always be looking for ways to better the lives of disabled people. Am I anti-cure? In this post, I am going to share my opinion on cures.
I am against people who tell me I need one– When I tell non-disabled people that I don’t want a cure sometimes it makes people uncomfortable because it is often believed that you can’t be happy while living with a disability unless you’re fixed. I am not against finding a cure for Spina Bifida or any disability, but I am against people who tell disabled people that we can’t be happy unless we are fixed. Disabled people do not need a cure and it’s non-disabled people that think we need one because it would make them more comfortable. A cure for my disability would make my life infinitely easier because it would eliminate all of my challenges, but disability is a huge part of who I am, and I am proud to be disabled. It is always so sad to me when people tell me I need to be fixed because it tells me that I am only acceptable if I am “normal.” It’s one thing to tell a disabled person that our lives would be easier with a cure which is true but it’s something totally different when you try and force cures down my throat.
Some disabilities and chronic illnesses need cures- When you have Spina Bifida, you will struggle a little more than non-disabled people, but because of medical advancements, you can live a fulfilling life. People often think that I am against looking for cures, but I am not, and I think we need cures for illnesses such as cancer because it kills so many people every single day. Every disabled person has a different experience, and some people may struggle more than I do and have a stronger desire for a cure than I do. I don’t judge anyone for wanting a cure because everyone has different experiences with disability. I have to do things in a slightly different way because of my disability, but I am not bed-bound because of pain like some people are. I may not want a cure as one disabled individual, but that doesn’t mean I think no one should have them because some people are going to want them. I don’t think we should be forcing cures down disabled people’s throats, but I am not against them and think it should be up to disabled people.
We can improve accessibility without cures– I think that some of the reason that disabled people become desperate for a cure has to do with how many barriers you face as a disabled person because of the lack of accessibility. Cures are not the only solution for disability because we can improve the lives of disabled people by making the world more inclusive and accessible for disabled people and we can do that without cures. It is frustrating to live in a world not designed for us but not having legs that work isn’t the hardest part of my disability and it’s having to navigate in an inaccessible world. It is going to be a whole lot easier to improve accessibility than it will be to try and cure every disability or chronic illness. I think that the lack of cures is not the problem and it’s the lack of accessibility that makes disabled people feel like a burden.
How society treat us is a big part of the problem- Disabled people often are isolated and treated very differently than non-disabled which I think plays a major role in disabled people wanting to get rid of disabilities. It can be hard to love your disability when non-disabled people are constantly discriminating against your disability and are constantly telling you that you are not good enough and need to be fixed. I sometimes wonder how much differently people would treat me without my disability and wish I was treated in the same way as everyone else but I will never be because of my disability. The way society treats disabled people is a big issue because if people treated disabled people like normal human beings instead of isolating us, we wouldn’t be so desperate to get rid of our disabilities.
I don’t think I will ever be cured- There are a lot of new surgeries that can be done on people being born today with Spina Bifida, but it does not help the people who currently have it. The main reason I am not putting all of my energy into being cured is that I don’t ever think I am ever going to be cured, and I don’t want to put my energy into something that may never happen. I could be wrong, and Spina Bifida could be cured but until the happens I am going to live my best disabled life. because that is all you can do.
When you are disabled, a lot of the time it is assumed that you hate being disabled and want to get rid of your disability but that is only true for some people. Some disabled people are totally fine with being disabled because it’s a big part of your identity that you don’t want to get rid of. When you are disabled, sometimes it can be difficult to find good doctors who understand your disability which is frustrating to disabled people who are in pain which can also make someone want to be cured. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be cured but I do think that it can be harmful when you become so desperate for it and can’t see the positives of your disability. Cures can be a very sensitive topic in the disabled community and not all disabled people will have the same opinion because everyone has different experiences. What is your opinion on cures? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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