The Post In Which I Rant

I'm ashamed to say that I never used to understand why people freaked out so much about the portrayal of disabilities in books.

Now I get it.

I would never want to be blind or deaf. But I doubt most blind or deaf people wanted that either. It's just the way their lives are. Just like I never would have chosen to be unable to read music, I wouldn't want to magically snap my fingers and suddenly be able to read it. That's not consistent with who I am.

I would be SO PISSED if a book insinuated that a person with dyscalculia was useless. I wouldn't like it if part of the happily-ever-after was that the person with dyscalculia got it magicked away. I don't have that luxury, in real life. I have dyscalculia, and that's my reality.

I think part of the problem is that people who are uneducated (as I once was) on the realities of "disabilities" think that Person A is missing something vital from her life because she can't see. Same thing with Person B and hearing. Or me and reading music. And okay, I'm missing something from my life by not being able to read music. (Just like I'm missing something by being too tall for gymnastics or being too wimpy for softball.) But I can't wallow in it.

Music and the playing of musical instruments are really important to some people. Not to me. Same thing for some people and the ability to see and hear and play sports. I would never choose to  give up my sight, or hearing, or ability to read music. I don't have a choice in the matter. though. I can either work my ass off in order to compensate and pass as "normal" or I can ask for help. (Or not do things that require me to see/hear/read/music/throw a ball.)

You might think that my sheet music-less life completely sucks. That might suck for you, but I can't tell myself that it sucks, because it's my life. I didn't choose it, and I have to accomodate my life to the hand I've been dealt.

What society needs to learn to do is accept people's differences in ability and interest, and recognize them all as different-but-still-completely-valid ways to live.

Rant over, and happy 2013.