Saturday, April 26, 2025
53.2 F
Roseville

Disabilities Columnist Seeking to Break Stereotypes

If you’re brand new here, you probably have been wondering what’s going on.  Instead of disability-related issues, ax-grinding, or political agenda-driving, this newspaper column just features real people with disabilities and their lives.

I say “real” because the mainstream media, in general, have a tendency to portray most everyone with a disability they feature as victims, objects of pity or superheroes, as if having a disability was the worst thing anyone could have and therefore needed an emotional or Rocky Balboa-like story line.

The media portray people with disabilities as victims or objects of pity when they repeatedly say a person “suffers” from a disability or that another is “confined” to a wheelchair, for instance. “Suffer” and “confined” are almost always the reporter’s words and not those of the person featured. As for the former, yes, some people do physically suffer, but many people with disabilities don’t and many view their disability as an asset.

In 2008, I featured Olympian Bruce Jenner (he was Bruce back then), who said about his learning disability, “If I had been an average student or reader, I wouldn’t have needed sports. As time went on, there was always this little dyslexic kid in the back of my head who would try to outwork the next guy. It was part of the process of the makeup of me. I believe I wouldn’t have won gold in the Olympics if not for being dyslexic.”

Also, do wheelchair users really feel “confined” to wheelchairs? Most don’t. Their wheelchair offers mobility and freedom. In truth, most people using a wheelchair feel “confined” when their wheelchair isn’t around.

In terms of superheroes, you often see reporters use words like “inspirational” or “courageous” to describe a person with a disability, yet many I know prefer being viewed as “regular” people and don’t much like those adjectives.

I want my readers to acquire a realistic feel for different people with disabilities and ultimately that must involve breaking stereotypes. People with disabilities aren’t a homogeneous group. The disability “community” has never been unified, but is politically conservative and liberal, rich and poor, old and young, married and not, Dallas Cowboys fans and not. People with disabilities aren’t all alike.

It’s these media-generated stereotypes that often build relational walls between people with disabilities and everyone else, which adds yet another needless layer of inaccessibility for a person with a disability to navigate. That’s something we all don’t need.



Join the local fun!

Coming Up!

Coming Up!

Trending

Placer SPCA: No-appointment adoption event in Roseville this Saturday

Placer SPCA invites the community to a special no-appointment-needed adoption event on Saturday, April 26, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Placer SPCA Adoption & Education Center in Roseville.

Homelessness: Annual results for Placer and Nevada Counties

Auburn, Calif. - The annual Point-in-Time survey of people experiencing homelessness in Placer and Nevada counties was conducted on Jan. 29 to determine where people experiencing homelessness

Folsom Pedal Quest returns May 3 in Historic Folsom

Folsom, Calif.- Folsom Pedal Quest returns Saturday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Historic Folsom. This free community event invites riders of all ages and abilities to explore Folsom's trail network

Folsom trail closure due to construction for water improvement project

Folsom, Calif. - As part of the ongoing Folsom Water Improvement Project, a section of the trail corridor near Willow Creek Drive will be temporarily closed for approximately 10 to 12 weeks starting Tuesday, April 30.

Roseville DMV Office opening on Saturday, May 3, for REAL ID Appointments

Roseville, Calif. - The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently announced the Roseville office at 7200 Galilee Road will offer appointments on Saturday, May 3, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., to accommodate customers who want to get a REAL ID

Topics

Placer SPCA: No-appointment adoption event in Roseville this Saturday

Placer SPCA invites the community to a special no-appointment-needed adoption event on Saturday, April 26, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Placer SPCA Adoption & Education Center in Roseville.

Homelessness: Annual results for Placer and Nevada Counties

Auburn, Calif. - The annual Point-in-Time survey of people experiencing homelessness in Placer and Nevada counties was conducted on Jan. 29 to determine where people experiencing homelessness

Folsom Pedal Quest returns May 3 in Historic Folsom

Folsom, Calif.- Folsom Pedal Quest returns Saturday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Historic Folsom. This free community event invites riders of all ages and abilities to explore Folsom's trail network

Folsom trail closure due to construction for water improvement project

Folsom, Calif. - As part of the ongoing Folsom Water Improvement Project, a section of the trail corridor near Willow Creek Drive will be temporarily closed for approximately 10 to 12 weeks starting Tuesday, April 30.

Roseville DMV Office opening on Saturday, May 3, for REAL ID Appointments

Roseville, Calif. - The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently announced the Roseville office at 7200 Galilee Road will offer appointments on Saturday, May 3, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., to accommodate customers who want to get a REAL ID

Rocklin Florist

Order flowers online from your florist in Rocklin, Calif.. Rocklin Florist, Inc., offers fresh flowers and hand delivery right to your door in Rocklin.

Lincoln Chamber hosts heartwarming and creative fundraiser

Lincoln, Calif. -The Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a heartwarming and creative fundraiser, bringing together the spirit of community and local business support.

Placer County community organizations receive grants from Athens Renewable Energy

Auburn, Calif. - Athens Renewable Energy is proud to recognize Placer Community Foundation, Roseville Urban Forest Foundation, and Gold Country Wildlife Rescue as the grant recipients for the first quarter

Related Articles

Local Spotlight

Roseville Sheet Metal serving community’s heating and air needs for over 70 years

Roseville, Calif. - At Roseville Sheet Metal, we’re proud of our years of service to the Roseville area and look forward to helping you with your air conditioning and heating needs.

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning serving Roseville and South Placer County for over 30 years

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning Inc. has been serving Placer County’s commercial and residential window cleaning needs since 1990.

Paul Black’s Solar Panel Cleaning in Roseville serving the region for over 30 years

Roseville, Calif. - Money-saving solar panels in Roseville, Rocklin and throughout South Placer County have become ubiquitous From new residential solar communities continue to big business and after market installation, solar seems to be a smart choice to shred those high monthly electric costs.