We live in an ableist society.
It’s all too common when discussing topics such as income assistance and other disability-oriented accommodations to encounter an ideal that we each should have access to the same resources, regardless of outside factors such as heritage, ability, gender, or financial standing.
It sounds lovely in theory, but in reality it’s a shortsighted and naive dream that doesn’t account for the wide range of ways that individuals interact with the world around them.
As an individual with permanent disability status, the attitudes that I have come across in regards to the constructs in place that I use to function and thrive at the same level as everyone else have left me concerned over the amount of insight that we as a society lack.
I get a cheque in the mail every month and my medical expenses are mostly covered.
I get extra time to take tests and to do assignments in school. I receive grants that pay for a great deal of my education.
The accommodations that are available make it possible for me to attend postsecondary. By no means should the people who utilize these resources be considered a drain on society.
Accommodations are not handouts, special treatment, or an advantage.