Treating everyone with respect and kindness is a good rule of thumb for any situation. But some people don’t care much for it; or for common sense, for that matter.
This redditor experienced firsthand what it’s like not to be treated with kindness or respect. Far from it. She said that a store worker tried to force her out of a mobility cart as she believed that the OP was “too young to be disabled”. Scroll down to find the full story below, where you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with the OP herself, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions.
You can never know what someone is going through or dealing with
Image credits: Tom Caillarec / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
This woman says that she had to prove her disability to a store worker, as she looked “too young to be disabled”
Image credits: Tatterfly / wikipedia (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Rayner Simpson / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Spicy_Scelus
“This was the first time it went this far,” the woman told Bored Panda
In an interview with Bored Panda, the OP shared that what upset her the most was the store worker allegedly trying to physically remove her from the mobility cart, which made her disability worse for a few days. “It was annoying how she doubled down on her statement for no reason,” she said.
Unfortunately, the woman encounters similar situations every time she goes shopping and uses a mobility aid. “I only got dirty looks, people scoffing, side comments, things like that in the past. This was the first time it went this far,” the woman shared, adding that it makes her feel humiliated and ashamed for something she has zero control over.
“If someone is using a mobility aid properly, and they have the proper tools (such as a valid handicap placard), please leave us alone. It does more harm than good. If you see someone harassing a person using a mobility aid, step in. It helps us a lot and doesn’t make us feel as alone,” the OP said.
Roughly one-in-six people globally live with a disability, some of which might not be immediately apparent
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people—or 16% of the world’s population—experience significant disability. That is one-in-six of us. And out of the 1.3 billion people, 80% reportedly live with a non-visible disability, which means that their disability might not be immediately apparent to those around them.
“You don’t have to be elderly or have clear signs of a disability to be disabled,” the OP emphasized. “There are invisible disabilities, such as mine, that you cannot see unless you are around someone with them for a long period of time. They are just as valid as someone who is blind, an amputee, or a diabetic.”
Some people with a hidden disability might choose to wear a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower – a symbol created to encourage inclusivity, acceptance, and understanding. A person wearing a Sunflower lanyard indicates that they have a non-visible disability, and that they might need extra help, understanding, or just more time.
“Without a visual cue, it can be difficult for others to identify, acknowledge, or understand the daily barriers faced by people living with an invisible disability,” the creators of the Hidden Disability Sunflower noted on their website. “We searched for a discreet sign that is clearly visible from a distance as well as being distinctive, joyful, and dynamic. We chose a sunflower as it suggests happiness, positivity, strength as well as growth and confidence and is universally known.”
Whether or not someone is wearing the Sunflower lanyard, you can never know exactly what they’re going through, hence the importance of the aforementioned rule of thumb. Doing the contrary—being entitled and ignorant—can make people’s life needlessly difficult.
Netizens shared their thoughts in the comments
Some people have found themselves in similar situations, too
