The Ugly Truth: Your Uneducated View of Wheelchair Users

“Aw did you break your leg?”

“Are you just being lazy today?”

I guess if you call breaking your neck lazy, then yeah.

But honestly as much as the digs that people throw my way sometimes hurt, it hurts even more to see how truly uneducated the public is about wheelchair users. Before my injury, I didn’t know much about spinal cord injuries either. But I was 15, I didn’t know much of anything beyond my bubble. It is time to start changing the perceptions about people in wheelchairs, young and old. I am here to address and further educate you on the things you and your stereotypes couldn’t be more wrong about.

Here are the 5 different stereotypes (even though the list could go on and on) that people have about wheelchair users.

1. People in wheelchairs do not workout. Well, I can’t speak for everyone but most of the spinal cord injury folks I know workout ALOT. Most of them workout more than some of my able-bodied friends.

2. People in wheelchairs are ugly. I cannot tell you how many times people have come up to me saying, “You’re too pretty to be in a wheelchair.” Okay? Am I supposed to be ugly because I get around on wheels? BYE. *rolling my eyes*

3. People in wheelchairs don’t have a social life. So you’re telling me you broke your neck and you’re still going out to clubs/bars?! WOW! Well am I supposed to never leave the house again? *continues to roll my eyes*

4. People in wheelchairs are depressed. WRONG. Of course we have up and down days, just like YOU. Just because all our struggles are on the outside, does that make us different than your issues you have on the inside?

5. People in wheelchairs like when you squat down or get close to their face to speak to them. WRONG again, please get out of my face.

6. People in wheelchairs get stared at like real-life human aliens. Didn’t your mother teach you it’s not polite to stare? But thank you, I know my hair looks good today ;)

The ugly truth is that many people look at wheelchair users and think, “Wow. I feel so bad for them.” And I feel bad for you. I feel bad that you still don’t seem to understand the severity our public’s negative view of wheelchair users. Years ago, I was once you. I was naive, uneducated, and didn’t ever think anything bad was ever going to happen to me. But guess what? Life happened. The truth is no one knows what tomorrow is gonna bring, not me and not you. It’s time to educate yourselves and stop judging people who get around differently than you.

Imagine what a happier world we would live in if everyone gave a little more compassion and a little less judgement.

Xoxo,

A Guy’s Girl