Are disabilities cool in any crowd?

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I know that drug use is cool in some crowds. I don't think being disabled is cool in any crowd. I know that it might be "acceptable" in some crowds, but I don't think it's ever cool.

Cool? I think not! Those with disabilities are basically shunned and bullied well into adulthood. At best they may "tolerate" a disabled person however in many situations they are not welcome nor are they made to even feel welcomed. Most times I feel like they just wish those with disabilities would disappear.

I know what you mean by "tolerated". When I was younger everyone knew I was in special ed. Most people were "nice" to me, but I could tell they weren't treating me like an equal.

If people are nice to me, I just take it. I don't even look beyond the surface of what they might really be thinking.

To be honest I couldn't really give two shiny shites about what they might be thinking.

I am the same way myself anymore however back when you were much younger in school, fitting in for most is something most want. It is very HARD on a child. By the time we reach adulthood, we are rather jaded because of these experiences and like you I am to the point I could care less what someone else thinks. But an immature (by that I mean a brain that is developing in childhood) hasn't gotten to this point. Friends, groups, acceptance in school is very important for most at a young age.

I wish I was like this

Me too. I get upset even when horrible people don't like me.

Honestly, I know of no place outside of Hollywood movies and celebrity events where disabilities are "celebrated."

How many stars doing an event for ______ would actually spend any time with those same people outside of that event?

Love and tolerate (cookies to all who get the reference)... Even those below you.

These people don't choose to be disabled, no more than we choose to have aspergers. When you were born, did you get told aspergers made you socially awkward, made you obsessive etc? No? Well neither did the people with disabilities. Maybe I'm just taking this the wrong way.

I find disabled people very interesting, assuming they can communicate to some degree. Hearing their perspective on life is very interesting, just as someone might find us aspies interesting. They have their difficulties as well, they are just different. There is nothing wrong with being different. Hell, I'm a brony - thats about as different as you can get.

Isn't the OP referring to aspies are having disabilities? I know some aspies don't consider AS a disability, but I do. It disables my ability to socialise and stay in work somewhat.

I do agree with what KB8CWB says. "Normal" people do only tolerate those with disabilities. I used to work at a care home for disabled people and the way some staff members treated the residents was appalling. They would make decisions for the residents, act as if they couldn't possibly know their own minds and what they want and even give them mildly insulting nicknames. This is supposed to be a safe place for people with disabilities, and yet even there they're treated like little kids. Another example is when I did a day's voluntary work at a psychiatric hospital, taking a snack trolley around the wards so the patients could buy snacks and toiletries. I was told not to patronise the patients, even though I talked to them how I would talk to any customer I was serving. The very same guy who told me not to patronise them put on this high-pitched, slow voice when he talked to the patients as if he were talking to a 4-year-old.

I think there's some sort of "proper" and "acceptable" way for non-disabled people to talk to disabled people, and unfortunately it seems to involve being heavily patronising

well the only people who I have found to be across the bored not caring about it are stoners because to them a friend with weed is a friend indeed

my experience with people that want to be your friend just because you are disabled tend to patronize me

Sure it is. I've been on some crazy websites where people diagnosis shop and want to have everything. In some of those circles, mental illness is an asset. It's toxic. I'm not saying we should hide disabilities, but in these places I have found who think they are cool, like when drug users think drugs are cool, they just want more and more labels and impairment. I avoid these places.

I'm sure it's respected in some, especially when people know the difficulties the disabled can face.

I also wish I could be that tough as well.

Many young people don't find disabilities as being cool. That's my high school experience, anyways. On the other hand, there are people out there who think quirky people are cool. Think of Kramer from Seinfeld....a cool and quirky guy.

In my small group of friends, all of us have disabilities. In our group, I guess you could say we find disabilities "cool". We're pretty open about disability and like to meet other disabled people. It's just not a subject that is in any way avoided.

I find different types of disabilities interesting. When I was facing my leg amputation, I was actually quite interested in reading all I could about it. I was actually showing my family videos of the same type of amputation surgery I was going to have. I especially found prosthetics interesting and was very excited about getting my prosthetic leg, even before my amputation. I definitely think prosthetics are cool!

Personally, almost every fictional character that I really like and think are cool, seem like they could be somewhere on the spectrum. I really like "weird" people.

Last edited by jetbuilder on 14 Jul 2014, 1:15 am, edited 1 time in total.