So, here we were, at the airport ready to board a plane. I had just been through a spinal neurostimulator implant. I was wearing a back brace because the surgeon told me that I needed it for a while. In my hand was an early boarding pass because I needed a certain seat on the plane.Just before boarding began, a woman pushed herself in front of me, saying that she needed to board before me, because she had a bigger need than me. "Believe me, a little back brace is nothing compared to what I have. You wouldn't want to be me" was her exact statement. After a little banter she agreed that my condition was a little more than a back brace, but she committed to remain in front of me in line.
I was struck by the prejudice people with disabilities face on a regular basis. We are judged by how we look on the outside, and the possibility of hidden disability is dismissed as unimportant. But, I was dumbfounded by the insensitivity of this woman with a hidden disability of her own. She wanted to engage in a "pissing" contest over who's hidden disability was worse. Unbelievable!
If you have a hidden disability, you know what I am talking about, and I am certain that you have stories of your own. To you I offer this statement. I respect you, and all of your struggles. I do not need to compare notes and prove that I am better off, or worse off, than you. It is not about degree's of difficulty, but about mutual support. You struggle with your disability everyday, and you don't need to be judged by others who live under the same scrutiny.
Do you have a story where you have been unfairly judged? Share you story with others. Write a comment, and share your story with others. Le't see how widespread this problem is.
