Just another reminder this morning when I read about a former policewoman who has a spinal cord injury named Kris Gulden that none of us with disabilities can speak for all of us. It's also a reminder that media coverage of stories like this are often skewed by concentrating on the melodrama surrounding the state of being disabled, rather than our abilities. Sometimes, no matter what you say in an interview, the final result can turn out to be something you shudder at having your name in.
So I'm just going to add a few of my thoughts and reactions here. Kris reports that it doesn't get easier, it just gets different. What I would add is that I found there's an enormous difference between the stages when first adapting to a new disability and the ongoing adaptations that have to be made. The article mentions the increased risk of depression, as if that comes from the state of being disabled. I find that it's a number of other factors, such as society's reaction to the disability, that dampen my mood on any given day.
Which means I agree about some of the attitudinal and architectural/physical barriers she speaks about.
I noticed the article mentions the very high unemployment rate of people with spinal cord injuries. Kris is now teaching high school, a job she apparently found out about through friends at the police force. She also taught three years at the academy.
The article says:
Relatively few Americans with spinal cord injuries are employed, the new survey suggests. It found that 42% have an annual household income of less than $15,000, while that's true for only 13% of the general population. More could work, says Joe Canose of the Reeve Foundation, but they'd lose Medicare coverage if they earned too much.
What's interesting is that this low unemployment rate is solely attributed to losing Medicare coverage. Certainly it's very true that our programs are antiquated and are "work disincentives " to people with disabilities. But it's also true that discrimination still exists with employment and the physical and attitudinal barriers just referred to remain when it comes to getting a job. I'd also like to mention that colleges have a long way to go regarding accessibility and creating good programs for students with disabilities. Many campuses lag behind in these areas. In a world where more, rather than less education, will be key to obtaining and retaining a job, we need to do better.
We need to start seeing what works for individuals that have jobs and are working and put those resources in place for others.
Those are my thoughts. Not unique I'm sure. And not in agreement with everyone either. But - hey- if you're feeling unique this morning, a new survey shows that more people are paralyzed than previously thought.
Anyone else out there have thoughts about what they would have said in an interview?
2 comments:
Wheelie,
I think what Gulden said was fine, the reporter and her lousy assumptions as well as the attitude inherent in the tone of the story are a different matter. They stink.
Someone asked me once if I would change my disability and I said no, I would rather change how people see and respond to it, and I would like less physical and other pain surrounding it.
Full Tilt-
I agree with you- I'd rather change how people see and respond to it too :)
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