staring at disabled people?

I don't know what way people will take this but when I think of people staring at disabled people I look at it like staring at a tiger or some exotic animal that you don't see everyday. If you saw one of those animals walking down the street you'd stare at them. That's why I think people stare at disabled people. People look out of curiousity even though it's rude.

I probably didn't word that too well to avoid offending the nit pickers.

As for the mocking, yeah that's just pathetic.

When it's something you're not used to, you'll stare.,, get over it

Yeah, I think people stare because it's a curiousity, not because they're trying to be rude. That doesn't excuse it, but unless you're taught by someone that staring is rude, even if someone looks and/or acts differently than most people, it can be hard in the moment to catch yourself. When I was growing up, we had a group of severely disabled students (physically and mentally) who were generally kept away from the non-disabled students at all times. But you could volunteer to spend an elective class with them and work with them. Not many students did it, but those who did got a great education about how to work with and approach disabled people. In some ways, I wish the school would have made some sort of exposure or education about those students mandatory, because I think a lot of the reactions you see on the streets are just plain ignorance as a result of low exposure and interaction with disabled people.

Mocking is way out of line though and should be called out by any decent person who hears it.

Pj! wrote: »

You'll look. But there's no need to be staring at a disabled kid.

Never said that

I have a personal rule when it comes to walking past disabled people:

That's never stare and if you glance, break eye contact immediately, treat them like they are some other random stranger passing by. Because thats what they are... just another person

But I have seen a few people stare at a disabled person walking past them. Only caught in a few times in my life (guess I was just looking in the right place at the right time) and it does annoy me. Treat people with respect. It doesnt matter what their circumstances are.

I think the paralimpics last year and the last leg with Adam Hills has helped this a LOT.

I'm mildly disabled, with a badge on the car but while I need a stick I'm not in a wheelchair or anything.

people are intrigued by the unusual, which is why the whole Indonesian bride thing kicked off.....

I've a mate in a wheelchair, so I'm a bit perceptive of wheelchair user issues than most as I also worked as his PA for a year. The most remarkable and almost funny occasion we had was that we were in a pub in Temple bar one afternoon. My mate needed to use the toilet so we asked the bar man where the disabled toilets were. "upstairs" says yer man. He seen us looking pussled and baffled at how a wheelchair user could get upstairs to use them, and then came back and said "It's ok, we have a lift". Ah we thought with relief. "so where's the lift". "over there" says the barman, pointing to a lift that was in an elevated part of the bar, that was four steps up. This was in a busy city centre bar which was very tourist orientated.

A second incident, was when we were going on holidays, and we were in Dublin airport. My friend because he was in the wheelchair was at the front of the queue because he had to board to plane first for logistcal reasons. Just as we were about to board, a member of DAA staff who was organizing for my mate to board the plane, walks up and says "So can you walk or are you completely fúcked?" We were totally shocked and were absolutley livid. We know what he was trying to ask. He was looking to find out if my mate could handle the stairs of his disability was severe enough that he couldn't. The way he phrased it though was beyond reproach. This was a person that worked full time at assisting people with disabilities onto planes and this was how he spoke.

People with disabilities don't want special treatment. They just want equality, and sometimes that takes special treatment from others. What we as a country need to do is start accepting that treating someone as an equal doesn't mean you treat them the same as everyone else, but rather you treat them how you'd like to be treated.

uch wrote: »

When it's something you're not used to, you'll stare.,, get over it

Did no one ever teach you that staring is rude??

uch wrote: »

When it's something you're not used to, you'll stare.,, get over it

You'll stare if you let yourself. You know what? I try not to stare at anyone, but if there is someone that catches my attention, admittedly because they might appear to be slightly different, I try even harder, and try to put myself in their position, and how I would hate to be stared at if I was them. It just takes a little effort and shift in your way of thinking for most people.

Czarcasm wrote: »

I think to suggest to people that they not stare is ridiculous. People ARE going to stare, and mock, and make little of people with disabilities.

Why is it ridiculous? Why should staring and mocking be acceptable?