I'm disabled, been all my life. One thing I hate is people feeling sorry for me. If I struggle with something, it is ok. Stares don't bother me as I'm used to them. Just don't give me that poor woman look.
Truth of the matter is, one doesn't know how to.act or feel. If we treat someone with disabilities normal, society labels us as heartless and or cruel, if we treat disabled special, they feel frustrated. Good thing I'm a dick and couldn't care less what society thinks of me.
Actually people look because they see someone diff. I have seen ppl look at others in wheelchairs - but they dont have a pity look on their faces. I guess you always have to put up a I am happy look so ppl will be at ease right ?
I understand this so much. Perfectly ok if people see me doing something and want to offer a hand. But I had a woman in a store one day tell me about how she had to live out of her car with her dog but that it was humbling to be reminded that someone always has a larger struggle. I was polite but secretly very off put for her to assume that being homeless was easier than having only one leg.
It's like geez people, we all have our own struggles. How hard they are to manage depends a lot on our ability to deal with them. Some of us can manage surprisingly well and the assumptions of our helplessness can be hurtful.