Who are the Disabled? – Down Syndrome Awareness Month
“Are you disabled?” That was a question that I recently asked my daughter. It was prompted by the question on a form I was completing for her. “Does your child consider themselves disabled?” I decided to just ask Miss K the question, “Are you disabled?”
She looked at me and rolled her eyes as only a teenager can do and then said, “No” with the tone of “why in the world are you asking me that question, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.
She doesn’t consider herself disabled and that is a joy. Yes, she does know that she has Down syndrome. She knows she is different.
Who are the Disabled? October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
What does Disabled Mean?
The UK government defines someone disabled as “You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.” from gov.uk
The US government defines someone disabled as “The term “disability” is defined by the federal government in various ways, depending on the context. For the purposes of federal disability nondiscrimination laws (such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), the definition of a person with a disability is typically defined as someone who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more “major life activities,” (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. ” from dol.gov
So basically someone who is disabled has a physical or mental impairment with a substantial or long-term negative effect.
There are other terms that have been used special needs and additional needs. These terms are from the school setting in the sense that the child has needs that need to be met with extra support or outside of a normal classroom. These terms are also used to refer to people with a disability.
Disabled can include deaf, blind, Spina Bifida, Down syndrome, autism and other diseases or conditions.
Who is Disabled?
Everyone.
Are you wondering if you read that correctly? You did. I said, Everyone. Everyone is disabled.
How can that be? I don’t have anything that was listed above. How am I disabled?
Let’s go to the beginning and see how God created human beings.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27
Man was made in God’s image, but the story doesn’t end there. In Genesis 3 sin enters the world and changes everything. All men and women since there are created in God’s image but we are not the way God created.
Since the Fall, we are not the way God designed. We are disabled. We are broken.
Why This is Important
When we understand that everyone is disabled, we look at one another differently. We are all broken and need to be restored. We should no longer look down on those that take a bit longer to say what they are thinking because of a speech impediment. Now we should have patience with those that don’t understand and follow all the social norms because they don’t understand.
We should see ourselves differently. We should see each other differently.
There is Hope for Today
There is hope for today. God uses our brokenness for his glory. As we acknowledge this and look to God, he gives the strength.
I recently read a book that was so encouraging, Disability in Mission. In this book, various individuals with different disabilities or parents with a disabled child shared personal testimony about how God worked through the disability as they served Him.
God can use your brokenness today.
There is Hope for the Future
God has promised that he will make all things new. This is the promise to those who believe in God. He will make everything new, the way it was designed and created.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:4-5
What a blessed hope we have to look forward to, a longing to be made the way we were designed.
While it might sound depressing to consider that everyone is disabled, there is hope.
Just some thoughts as October is Down Syndrome Awareness month.
Here are some related posts:
2019 Down syndrome Day – It is Only an Extra Chromosome
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7 thoughts on “Who are the Disabled? – Down Syndrome Awareness Month”
What an amazing attitude your daughter has! I remember several years ago (back in the 90’s), I heard an interview with the young man who portrayed Corky on the TV show Life Goes On. (He has Downs Syndrome). He said, “i don’t consider it “downs syndrome. I consider it “up syndrome.” His attitude was so positive and uplifting, just like your daughter.
Wonderful post! Your daughter has the right attitude!
Yes, she does and I have learnt so much from her.
Yes! We all fall short of the glory of God–and are disabled. We need to stop looking at other people as broken and in need of fixing. Rather, we are all broken, and when we work together, we can lift each other up. Our grandson has autism, and he’s the smartest little boy I know!
Recognizing and working together we can bring glory to God.
Beth, These are profound statements! “Who is Disabled? Everyone. Everyone is disabled. Since the Fall, we are not the way God designed. We are disabled. We are broken. When we understand that everyone is disabled, we look at one another differently. We are all broken and need to be restored. We should see ourselves differently. We should see each other differently. God uses our brokenness for his glory. As we acknowledge this and look to God, he gives the strength.” Thanks for sharing!
It has helped me so much to think about that. My daughter continues to show what she can do in spite of her disability. This week it was making chocolate chip cookies.