🎧 Listen to article read by Nicoletta:
There are days where you're in the middle of the crowd... and you feel completely invisible. Not because you are not there, but because no one really sees what you're experiencing.
For many people with motor disability — even without wheelchair — this is not an exception.
Is the life.
Not all of the disability seenand when they do not see, they are often not believed. You can walk, but with painyou can stand, but not for long.
You can get out, but paying the consequences for days. You can smile... while your body asks you to stop.
And so it is something deeply unjust: you're not considered quite disabledand to receive understanding, but you're not well enough to live without limits.
Not all disabilities are visible
When we talk about motor disabilitymany imagine immediately a wheelchair.
But there are many conditions that limit movement, strength and energy without being obvious at the first sight.
And it is precisely this invisibility to make things more difficult.
- If you're in pain but you can't see, others are struggling to believe you
- If you ask, you can feel good judged
- If you give up, you seem a little motivated
- If you resist, no one imagines how much it costs you
Phrases such as:
- “But you don't look disabled”
- “Come on, you can do it”
- “If you are walking then you're good”
- “You're young, you have nothing”
Are not the words of encouragement, are small negatives daily. Why not challenge your limits, challenge your truth.
The invisibility of social worn
Not be recognized means to explain all the time.
Justifying yourself and your action. Defend yourself. To prove it, or stop it.
Many people with motor disability the invisible end up with:
▪️ renounce outputs
▪️ avoid crowded places or little accessible
▪️ reduce relations
▪️ feel out of place
▪️ isolate themselves for not having to always prove something
Not because they don't want to live, but why live like this requires a’huge energy.
Living between two worlds
Who has a disability is not obvious and often feels suspended.
Too limited to keep up with all of.
Too “normal” to be included.
Not enough disability to receive support.
Not quite healthy to live without obstacles.
It is a gray area where it is easy to feel singlewithout an obvious place in which to feel recognized, and yet the need to belong is the same as anyone else.
Not you have to prove you're hurt
The disability is not a competition, there is a minimum threshold of suffering deserve respect. If your body is your own limits, that is actually valid.
Even if you do not see, even if others do not understand.
Even if you do not use assistive technology visible, You're not invisible.
This is the company which often has not yet learned to look really.
All have the right to feel part of the community
Friendship, work, love, autonomy, participation do not depend on what your disability is obvious.
A community really inclusive:
- listen without judging
- believe people when they tell their experience
- designing accessible spaces for all
- it doesn't force you to continually show their limit
- recognizes the value of each person
Because theinclusion not only the physical barriers, concerns, especially those cultural.
If you recognize yourself in these words, you are not alone
The invisible disability exists, and must not become invisible even those who live it.
Don't have to suffer more to be believed,you should not justifying yourself and your action to deserve respect.
You must not reduce your life to do not disturb.
Your experience is real.
And deserves listening, respect and space.
Do not remain invisible
There is information, tools and pathways to defend your rights and build a life that is more accessible and inclusive.
- Discover projects, resources, and opportunities rightforinclusion.en
Write to info@rightforinclusion.it for support, information or collaborations
Because no person should have to feel invisible in their communities.
And the inclusion begins when someone finally sees you, really.