The Oxford Dictionary defines disability as “a physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities.” or “a disadvantage or handicap, especially one imposed or recognized by the law.” Both of these definitions highlight an individual who is “limited” compared to the general person. The second definition doesn’t comment on what is causing the disadvantage, leaving people to wonder what exactly could be considered a disability. Is anyone below average in any aspect disabled? Perhaps a mom who makes less than minimum wage is disabled because she is unable to buy enough food, putting her at a disadvantage. Perhaps kids who are picked last for the soccer team are disabled because their athletic abilities and coordination aren’t excellent since they just joined soccer this year and thus they’re at a disadvantage on the field. Though both of these ideas technically fit into the second definition’s parameters, most people agree that these are not definitions. That’s where the first definition comes in. It explicitly states that there has to be a physical or mental condition. If the mom mentioned earlier has autism and struggles to communicate with people, causing her to struggle to get and maintain a job that pays more, she fits into the first definition. If the kid was born with one leg, and thus has a physical condition that limits his ability to play soccer, he too would fit into the first definition. Most people agree that these two individuals would be legally disabled and qualify for government assistance.
Though the above definitions are more universally agreed upon, some activists argue that the mom in the first scenario should qualify for similar government assistance as the mom in the second scenario because poverty and disability relate in a vicious cycle. Poverty will often lead to preventable causes of blindness and hearing impairment due to the decreased access to medical services. Oxfam found that “100 million people living in poverty suffer from impairments acquired due to malnutrition and lack of proper sanitation.” On the flip side, individuals with a disability are more likely to be unemployed, or if employed, make significantly less money. The US Department of Labor found that “The unemployment rate for persons with a disability was 8.0 percent in 2018, more than twice the rate of those with no disability (3.7 percent).” Because of this cyclical relationship, several activists believe that the best way to decrease disabilities and improve livelihood is to give people who are struggling similar assistance to people who are legally disabled.
