Stereotypes: People with Disabilities

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Stereotypes: People with Disabilities My sister is a special education teacher at the high school level, and through spending time with her students I have been made aware of the reality they must face every day. Stereotypes and misconceptions are common in regards to disabilities. These false assumptions are usually invoked by fear or a lack of understanding. Stereotypes have emerged in society and have created barriers of discrimination towards people who have a disability. The danger with stereotypes is that we often generalize and combine characteristics of an individual to make conclusions about groups of people. This commonly occurs due to conclusions made without obtaining all the information necessary to make a fair judgment about people or situations. People with disabilities can’t lead a full and productive life, are part of a one-dimensional group, and are considered “special.” People with disabilities can’t lead a full and productive life. Disability does not mean dependence. They are capable of fully participating in community life without having to depend on someone without a disability. It is society that segregates them because they look different or out of the ordinary. Although they may look different on the outside does not mean they do not have the same feelings on the inside. Having people constantly thinking they need help to fulfill basic tasks can be degrading. People with a disability may not have as easy of a time performing simple tasks, but that simply means it requires patience, which most people without disabilities do not contain. Everyone must focus on a person’s abilities, not their limitations. We do not need to hold their hands; there are many examples of people with disabilities becoming successful on their own. Stephen Hawking, a very famous scientist working at the University of Cambridge, is a world famous academic celebrity
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