Hear me, See me.

The problem with some disability charities, is that in order to raise funds, its easier to hold a campaign that treats the subject as helpless, and in need of help from the able bodied, as something to pity and look down on, so donators feel obliged to feel sorry for that unfortunate person/cause and give money to the charity. That is how some charities work, despite the all very well and do good claims of providing support/care/services to those in "need" and somehow benefiting those in "need". If the whole process is patronising, and say a disability charity claims to help disabled persons live a better life, but in order to procure funds, it needs to keep disabled people looking helpless, in need, and therefore keeping a lid on progression. They do not stand to normalise disability, but instead feed off it, by maintaining the pity campaign, of "look at this person's poor story, and then we stepped in and saved the day to make the world a little bit of a better place!" Congratulations. 

Positive campaigns don't work they say, if you're so ready to fight in solidarity, then why would you need our help, and our donations of £2 a month? Is it people's attitudes? Or is it that certain charities hold the power, of image and message, and crucially how they spend it? I know that charities exist because of the gaps in social care, and the extra services they provide can help thousands, not to mention research, and influence they can have as lobbyists. But I'm sorry I'm feeling angry here, I'm fed up being looked at as a charity case, as undermined and pitied. And this is how people raise money? To keep people down, to maintain a negative image in peoples eyes.

It should be a fight for equality, to champion what the disabled can do, and on their own, with support of systems in place to help, yes of course, but with individual thought and intelligence. For too long, a seen disability is the centre of a pity party, and is skirted around as a difficult subject to handle, and for too long, those with unseen disabilities are not taken seriously, or accommodated to at work. Is it a contradiction? That in order to be taken seriously, I have to really push the fact that I'm in severe pain, and make it known. Most of the time I am shushtm, I don't complain, I don't let others know, because I feel the pity party descend on me, I feel I don't get the chance to prove myself. Yet the discrimination you face when seen with a crutch is brutally disabling. You take on the mind set of others, that others are feeling sorry for you, but would rather they didn't have to see your disability.

That is something I don't have control over, and I cannot change everyone's minds. But if certain charities keep the link of  being helpless and unwanted with disabled people needing the help of abled people, then I'm sorry it impacts the overall message of how a minority is still fighting to be seen and heard in this 21st century society. 

Written by a Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer of nine years, an unseen disability. 

Comments

[Ashiya]

This is brilliant. I agree with you wholeheartedly, sweetheart x

[Kirsteen]

This is a brilliant post! I have scoliosis (a curvature of the spine) and spent years in and out of hospital, getting body braces and eventually having surgery to fuse parts of my spine and hold it all together with rods. I never tell people I know about it, because they do treat me differently. I know my own limitations and so far they've not hindered anything. I know this is a bit rambly and not all that much to do with anything you said, but yeah. A+ post!
Oh and we have the same dress!

[Raisa]

Thanks Kirsteen, really glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for sharing...!
I totally understand, why you feel reluctant to tell people, because rather than thinking you are a really strong person, that had to undergo and overcome challenges, some people tend to assume something about you *because* you've told them you have scoliosis, and their perception of you changes and suddenly because you have an illness it means you are weak... but yeah infuriating!

One of my favourite dresses that lace one is! Rx

[Rikki]

Beautifully written and definite food for thought. Here in Oz we have a campaign called "Don't dis my ability" it's all about celebrating and illuminating the diversity and ability of people living with disabilities. It's about putting the person/individual first, instead of always focusing in on the disability.

p.s. You look gorgeous as always.. LOVE that zebra jacket!

[Raisa]

Thanks Rikki! That campaign sounds awesome... I'll have to look it up. Yeah focusing on the individual and actually listening to people is the way to go... too many charities are just bogged down with trying to look as needy as possible, and are just about the disability, rather than the people it's supposed to be supporting. Good stuff!