Distinction between impairment and disability

The perspective on disability awareness campaigns and the distinction between impairment and disability:

I am deeply concerned about how certain campaigns promote disability awareness and understanding of disability issues.

Celebrating the diversity and contributions that people with impairments can make is necessary. My open question is: are these campaigns celebrating persons with impairments or the concept of disability? Some campaigns motivate us to take pride in our disability identity. I am not sharing this sentiment. I cannot accept and value my disability as a natural part of human diversity. How can a concept like disability be seen as part of diversity? Some campaigns are about recognizing that disability is a natural part of the human experience. How can disability, which is a concept imposed on persons with impairments, be celebrated or embraced?

I am highlighting the complex relationship between disability as a social construct and the experiences of individuals with impairments. We must stand up against disability, as simple as that. In my opinion, it is not wise to propose that people with impairments must celebrate a concept that excludes them in society. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines disability as an evolving concept that results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers.

I embrace my impairment, as this is what happened to me. This is who I am – nothing can change that. To me, there is no pride in the way society excludes people like me on a daily basis. It is all about recognizing impairment, valuing the diversity of persons with physical, sensory, neurological, intellectual, and psychosocial impairments as a human experience, and advocating for inclusive societies that accommodate and support all individuals with impairments on an equal basis.

Campaigns can be seen as a way to assert one's identity, demand equal rights, and push for social change to remove barriers and promote accessibility. But what is our identity? Impairment or disability? The reality is that there are different definitions for disability because it depends on the situation. I cannot celebrate something that I am associated with. I am not disabled; I am a person with a disability. Disability happens when a person's rights are violated – this is my reality.

Wrong perceptions are some of the reasons why persons with impairments are still excluded, and this will not change as long as stakeholders sugar-coat the concept of disability. See disability for what it is – discrimination. I am highlighting the distinction between impairment and disability and arguing that impairment is a natural part of human diversity, whereas disability is a result of societal barriers and discrimination. This perspective emphasizes the need to address and dismantle these barriers rather than celebrating disability as an identity.

By romanticizing or sugar-coating a concept like disability, we will bring no change for us as persons with impairments. Instead, we must advocate for a more nuanced understanding that recognizes impairment as a natural aspect of human diversity while acknowledging disability as a result of systemic failures and discrimination. This perspective aligns with the social model of disability, which emphasizes the role of societal barriers in creating disability rather than the impairment itself. By focusing on addressing and removing these barriers, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

By acknowledging disability as a result of societal barriers and discrimination, stakeholders can be held accountable for creating inclusive environments and addressing systemic issues. I believe that this approach can lead to more effective solutions and greater accountability in promoting accessibility and equality for people with impairments.