Last week at the Rose Cafe, I learned about disability history and disability at Cornell with Erin Sember-Chase. I learned that the ADA which prohibited discrimination based on disability was only instituted in 1990, a mere 27 years ago. But unlike other marginalized groups, the fight for rights for people with disabilities  has never been as visible as other social movements, such as the civil rights movement. At Cornell, most professors will at least briefly mention special exam accommodations for students with disabilities but that is usually the extent of the discussion of disabilities. In our society in general, there are a few public accommodations of disabilities, such as handicapped bathroom stalls and parking spaces. Before our talk, I had honestly forgotten about these sort of accommodations for disabled people. In a way, that is a good thing because it has become so normalized to me but these adjustments are often not discussed. Additionally, while useful for physical disabilities, these accommodations do nothing for other disabilities that are often less apparent. These “invisible” disabilities are unfortunately just as pressing as physical ones.

We discussed the large social stigma that is associated with disabilities and the way that people with disabilities themselves are taught to overcome their disabilities rather than embrace them. We talked about how disabilities shouldn’t need to be justified or explained but rather celebrated and understood. I am grateful that I was able to attend this cafe because it made me think about disabilities and the amount of people who face disabilities much more than I ever do. As a society, we need to talk about disabilities more widely so that its stigma can be lessened and people with disabilities can feel more comfortable and accepted in their lives.