Disabilities Are Not Full Identities

“It’s a really cool opportunity and I’m very grateful that they did think outside the box,” says DeVido

While reading the Philadelphia Inquire, I came across the article entitled “Comic may change your mind about wheelchairs” Changing minds… love it. I am all for a little change of perspective on this fine Wednesday morning! Before I even started to dive into the article itself, I took a moment to reflect on what preconceptions are associated with those in wheelchairs in society today. Since the article is promoting some sort of change or switch of views on people in wheelchairs, what are we as a society changing from?

As I thought back to my RHS 100 class, a class solely based on disability culture, I recalled one video in particular that highlighted society’s reactions towards those with physical disabilities. In one clip in shannondevido-1696-00270026_21particular, a man came upon a woman on the street where he made the statement, “she’s actually pretty for a girl in a wheelchair”. Rude. I know. Why even mention the wheelchair -why is she not just pretty? Sure the wheelchair is part of her identity and makes her who she is but why does her disability rise over every other quality or form of identity that she may have? The shocking reality is that many people have these ideas in their heads that a disability is the only identity for someone with a disability. Many people see someone in a wheelchair and only see the chair without taking the time to notice that the person may be a really great violin player or a wonderful teacher or downright funny person.

And speaking of funny people, comedian and actress Shannon DeVido is rising to the top. As I dug deep into the article I found that Shannon DeVido has spinal muscular atrophy and has been in a wheel chair since she was 4 years old. However, what I found even more interesting and encouraging was the fact that the article did not even mention this until about the second page of the article. When it was mentioned it was mentioned briefly and followed by the statement “it’s easy to mention that as an aside because it turns out, in DeVido’s life, it’s very much on the side” (Amorosi). DeVito does not see her life as defined by her disability. She does not let it consume her every day life or hold her back from success. It is a part of her just as much as her brown hair and quirky personality.

What really enlightened me on her positive outlook on her situation was when she stated, “I am a person with a disability, but it’s not who I am. It affects and shapes the way I view comedy, but I definitely don’t allow it to influence the entirety of my existence” (DeVido). Like wow. This is what all people in society need to read and understand. Sure I’m sure a lot of people did read the article, but did they really read it and understand what she means by this? Did they open their minds to the fact that this statement basically goes against the preconceived views that many people have towards people with disabilities, and are usually unaware of? DeVido does not want people to look at her and see that she is someone in a wheelchair but look at her and see a really funny person, a real person, who just happens to not be able to walk.

In DeVido’s YouTube show, Stare at Shannon, she plays with the idea of this negative stigma towards those with disabilities to turn the tables with social commentary on those who view the disabled with prejudice. She does not see her disability as the only thing that defines her but she does see her every day situations in life as something that can shine light on the prejudices in society. But in her new role in Difficult People, a show about two best friends living in NY city, disability is not the focus what so ever. DeVido plays a character who isn’t disabled and wasn’t intended to be. The fact that the producers gave her the opportunity to play someone who has nothing at all to do with a wheelchair is a big step in the right direction. They just saw the funny, not just the wheelchair.

Although people with disabilities are the largest minority group in the United States, they are never in the news, in movies, on TV shows, or in the newspapers unless to further promote the negative stigma. Even if they are in the media, they are seen as “super crips”(rare heroes) or the tragic. Shannon DeVido is finally shining a different light on those with disabilities. We usually see people with disabilities as the brunt of the joke not telling the jokes, making the agendas, telling stories about their lives with real human frankness and openness. Quite honestly, what’s so amazing, is she does not want the attention. She does not want to be seen as a hero for those that have disabilities. She just wants to be someone that can bring people into her world who might not know a lot about disabilities while cracking a few jokes here and there 🙂

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http://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-philadelphia-inquirer/20150311

Be My Eyes App – Seeing with new eyes… Literally.

“It’s my hope that by helping each other as an online community, Be My Eyes will make a big difference in the everyday lives of blind people all over the world”– Hans Jørgen Wiberg, Founder of Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

My seeing with new eyes blog usually has to do with seeing from a different perceptive or seeing with fresh, unclouded eyes; usually I recall instances where I look at everyday occurrences with an open mind an a renewed outlook. However, this week I am taking the “seeing with new eyes” quite literally.

Check out this new app Be My Eyes! Basically the purpose of the app is to quickly help those that are blind with simple daily tasks that may be nearly impossible due to their lack of sight; with the use of this new app you are their eyes.

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With the hopes to work with those with disabilities in the future as an occupational therapist, I am fascinated by the new technology that continues to better integrate people with disabilities into the community. A person who is blind and is struggling with a task such as seeing if a carton of milk is expired or where the correct button is on the thermos stat or where the correct train terminal is can request assistance through the app. The challenge they are facing can be absolutely anything at all; help will always be milk cartonprovided. On the other end, a volunteer (someone who has signed up as a person who can see and is willing to help be the eyes for those who cannot) receives a notification on the app that their help is needed. If they accept the request, a live video will connect the volunteer to the person who is blind that needs assistance or a question answered. It’s as simple as that.

Now, I know what you might be thinking – blind people should not be given all of this attention and treated like they are not able to function. They are just like everyone else. So true! Those that are blind do not need much help at all as they are perfectly capable navigating entire cities on their own, playing instruments, workings. There are commonly thoughts that they should not be treated any differently as they are perfectly capable individuals where blindness is not their only identifying quality. I am in total support of increasing people with disability’s independence in all instances possible, yet if we want to admit it or not this world is still created for those that can see. Sure modifications are being made here and there, yet, there are still little challenges that those that are blind have to face quite often and are often overlooked by the majority of the population that can see.

Everyone needs a little help every once and a while. Be My Eyes has that in mind as their goal – to provide that little bit of help those that cannot see might need. As Hans Jørgen Wibergteam-1, the founder of the app, is blind himself, his motives are genuine and close to home. This app is taking full advantage of the positive aspects of the growing technology that we have in our society today to help better the lives of others. Literally, seeing with different eyes. Pretty perfect, huh? 🙂

Now, I know I may have claimed in the beginning that I was writing about seeing with new eyes in a more literal sense, but the more and more I think about it I realize that as my knowledge expands and my eyes are opened to the little difficulties people that are blind have to face on a daily basis, I have a totally new perspective. Even if it is just for a couple of days while this topic is on mind I may be more likely to realize how our world is catered towards people like me who are able to see. How do they cross college ave? How would a person without sight see the PowerPoints during a lecture? We may want to treat people with disabilities as exactly like us, as we should because they should not be defined by their disability, it is important to take notice that the way they live their lives may be extremely different to us, yet totally normal to them.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/eyes-helps-guide-blind-iphone-video-call-function-article-1.2083796

http://www.bemyeyes.org/