What exactly does disability mean to me? This is something that puzzles me in a way. My answer to this question should be straight forward given the fact that I have been blind since birth and having a disability is all I’ve ever known. However, I don’t think this is the case at all and it isn’t that straight forward.
Disability means something different for everyone, whether it’s part of their identity, something that’s just left on the floor like it doesn’t belong anywhere, or it could be something that crops up from time to time. Disability could mean strength or weakness, it could mean inequality (or equality), and it could mean the fear of the unknown. There are so many disabilities, so the answer to this question will vary depending on each person, they’re disability and how they view it. It’s a broad concept but something that is personal and unique to every disabled person.
The word ‘disability’ can be used to inspire others, it could be an example of differences between people, it could be going against the preconceived ideas, or it could be used as an example of success, defying the odds and achieving. Disability doesn’t have one meaning, it’s something that’s personal to everyone. You can’t fit it into one small box, just like you can’t people who identify as disabled. It’s something that could change over time, everyone goes on their own journey of acceptance and it can vary depending on how a person chooses to live their life.
The definition of disability
The 2010 Equality Act states that a disability is “a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial or long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.”
For me, disability is so much more than that, it’s a lot more than just the medical terminology.
But what does disability mean to me?
It means difference
Being different can often be seen as something that’s bad, however it doesn’t have to be. Being different can be seen in both a positive and negative light. It may mean that I need support doing things that my sighted peers don’t. I need to be sighted guided which may make me stand out from the crowd, but on the flip side, it’s enabling me to do the things that sighted people my age do. It can be seen in a positive way because being different means that I can raise awareness, tackle common issues that disabled people face and help others in a similar situation.
It can often mean going against the preconceived ideas
I think we’re all aware that the common assumption surrounding disabled people is that we are all miserable, sit at home all day doing nothing and can’t live a fulfilling, active lifestyle, however this notion is outdated and untrue.
Having a disability doesn’t condemn us to a negative life, it can be beautiful, positive and we can have the most incredible experiences.
It means constant hard work and dedication
I didn’t get a degree or my job just because I’m blind, I had to work to achieve the things that I have. Disability can often mean working harder than your peers due to lack of accessibility or facing a number of barriers. Despite all of this, achieving your goals is wonderful.
Hard work and dedication mean even more when you have faced barriers, it means that achievements should be celebrated.
Learning how to advocate for yourself
Disability means fighting to get the support you require. Having a disability can often be an uphill battle but advocating for yourself means that you can speak up and fight for what you’re entitled to.
I certainly learnt to advocate for myself the older I got, and it’s something that comes naturally to me now.
Disability can often mean inequality
There are always people that see us as unequal or incapable. Equality and people’s perceptions have come a long way and progress has been made but we are still far from being seen as equal to non-disabled people. Inequality is something that disabled people regularly face, sometimes on a daily basis. This could be an inaccessible website, being turned down by employers, not being able to access a building because there is no lift or ramp, having to justify your abilities to others or an access refusal because you have an assistance dog.
despite all of this, we soldier on, many of us speak out about inequality in order to raise awareness and try to campaign for change.
Disability is part of my identity but it isn’t the only thing that defines me
Some people believe that their disability is part of their identity, whilst others don’t and this is ok.
It shapes my life in many ways, but in other ways, not so much.
I am not my vision impairment, but my vision impairment is one puzzle piece that makes up the person I am.
Disability means defying the odds and expectations
Disabled people can be seen as incapable, or when we do achieve, we are seen as ‘inspirational’ for doing things such as simple daily tasks. Society often thinks that we achieve our goals because of pity and this couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s not achieving because of my disability, it’s not being given allowances or given everything on a plate, it’s succeeding despite encountering barriers and hurdles. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today and continue to do so.
We achieve our goals in spite of our disability, not because of it.
Having a disability means that you see the world from a different perspective
It can give you a different perspective to non-disabled people and can have an impact on your life in ways you wouldn’t even think about. I’m able to appreciate the world in other ways, not just through how it is seen.
The opportunity to learn new skills
If I didn’t have a disability then I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn braille, to use a long cane or use assistive technology. It’s about embracing these skills and seeing them for the positives. Learning unique skills can open so many doors.
Disability means determination
Disabled people are possibly some of the most determined people that you will ever meet. We face countless barriers, have to fight for so many things and may have to adapt to living life with a disability, but that can make us even more determined to get to where we want to be in life. WE don’t let our disability stop us from living the life we want to.
Being part of an incredible community
A post on what disability means to me wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the disabled community.
Having a disability means that you can feel a range of emotions, and you may sometimes feel isolated and alone but being part of the disabled community means that you are never alone, there is always someone that is willing to listen and someone that can relate to how you’re feeling or what you’re going through. These people can help you get through the tough days and celebrate the good ones.
There are so many amazing disabled people who are raising awareness, driving for future change, helping others and tackling the stigmas and misconceptions.
For me, being part of the disabled community makes me so proud to have a disability.
We may all have different ideas on what disability means to us, it certainly cannot fit into one blog post and it may never be fully explained because it is always changing but here is just a snapshot of what disability means to me.
If you take one thing away from this post, I want you to know that it’s ok to have your own ideas and opinions on what disability means to you, it’s different for everyone and there’s no right answer.
What does disability mean to you? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Holly x
![There’s a phrase we hear far too often: “fully accessible”.
Hotels use it. Venues use it. Website developers use it. Event organisers use it.
On the surface, it sounds brilliant. But there’s no one size fits all approach to accessibility.
Because accessibility isn’t a box you can tick once and forget about. There isn’t a magic point where something becomes accessible to every single disabled person.
Our access needs are different. What works for one person might not work for another.
Rather than asking, “is it accessible?”
Ask: “Accessible for who?”
In my latest blog post, I’m exploring why “fully accessible” is a myth. Head to the link in my bio if you’d like to give it a read.
[Image descriptions:
Image one: Holly stood on a pier, leaning against a railing by a sandy beach with the sea in the background. She wears a black T-shirt, a skirt with a colourful floral pattern, a silver necklace and glasses.
Image two: Holly sat on a low stone wall beside a shallow stream with a path running alongside it. Dense green bushes and trees line the far bank, forming a thick hedge along the water. There is a small bridge and a building in the background. She wears a black T-shirt, a long, multicoloured patterned floral skirt and a silver necklace.]](https://lifeofablindgirl.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
Becoming disabled later in life has come hard for me, it isn’t static for me, it gets worse and I can do less and less. Physically it is a struggle every day. My biggest disability is hidden, it a major depressive order that has shut down my life beyond family for the last twenty years. I am too old to fight. But you and others have such strength and character and are so inspiring. My faith which is central to my being is my greatest joy even in the darkness of my mind. Add to that my wife, daughters and seven grandchildren and I think I might just be the richest man alive
Augustine
Thank you for sharing, it sounds like you have some fantastic people around you which is really important. Thank you so much
Great post hun, I completely agree with everything you said. I feel like disability has a unique meaning to everyone who experiences it and to me, although it often means hardships and struggles, it also means strength and positivity. It’s like an umbrella term for so many other different meanings and I think we all experience them in different ways which I feel like is very important too. Loved reading this xxx
Thank you so much lovely. That’s so true, completely agree with you xxx
I’ve been visually impaired my whole life, but only completely blind since my early 20s, when the Glaucoma I was born with took the last of my sight. The decline of my sight meant learning new ways of doing things all the time, and constantly having to adapt and change how I did things, especially after I lost the last of my sight. To me, being disabled means constantly having to adapt the way I do things, and find ways around obsticles put in my way by being a blind person in a sighted world. It means feeling excluded quite often, and being extremely grateful to anyone who makes an effort to stop me feeling that way. It means finding courage to face new situations, and strength to hold my head high, even when I want to scream at the unfairness of it all. It means having to fight harder to make my dreams come true, but doing it anyway. It also means learning to think outside the box, and be more creative, just to do things others take for granted.
I completely agree with you, thank you so much for sharing
Holly, Excellent job. I was born legally blind from RP in 1950. My parents wanted me and my brother to go to our local public schools. They weren’t using the word ‘Mainstreaming’ in those days. The school’s perspective was that, if I wanted to be with sighted kids, I could do things the way they did – i.e. read print, walk without a cane. I was bullied till I got to college. I was always the outsider yearning for acceptance.
Like your friend Stuart, I have had depression for most of my life, though I didn’t get any help for it till the ‘90s.
That said, I wrote an educator-recommended novel, produced 3 recordings of my songs and have a wonderful husband and a few real friends. I’ve had 5 awesome guide dogs and the dearest kitty. At 69, I am on the verge of being able to express that the social isolation and outside-the-fold existence that blindness has brought into my life have been a blessing . From this vantage point, I have been able to “keep my eyes wide open” so to speak, and I have not fallen into the many traps I see sighted people allowing themselves to remain ignorant of.
Thank you! Wow, thank you so much for sharing your story, you certainly have a lot to be proud of
I enjoyed this post. You point out a lot of good points that the sighted community maybe doesn’t think about.
Thank you, really glad you enjoyed reading