Persons with Disabilities Should
Be
Treated With Respect
- Christiane Tourtet B.A.
MCS
It is hard
enough for many persons with disabilities to get the accommodations they are
legally entitled to under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and even
harder in many instances to get respect. As for
persons suffering from painful chronic illnesses/disabilities, which cannot be
seen (invisible disabilities), it can be quite a challenge.
There are many illnesses / disabilities
which fall under the category of invisible disabilities. Chronic
fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), Lyme disease,
progressive multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, arthritis, lupus, cystic
fibrosis, diabetes, heart diseases, asthma, chronic infections, and brain
injury, are just a few of the many diseases and disabilities that are not
apparent to onlookers.
It is rather amazing that people in general
have the wrong notion that persons with disabilities have to be either on
crutches or in wheelchairs, or using some sort of assisting devices. Even though, this may be the case for many persons with
disabilities, it certainly is not true for persons suffering from illnesses and
disabilities which cannot readily be seen.
The fact that a person looks good and
healthy does not mean in any way that this person cannot possibly have an
illness or disability. On the contrary, persons with
invisible illnesses and disabilities are legally disabled and entitled to the
same rights as persons with visible disabilities under the law, the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other laws and regulations.
An excellent source of information on
chronic illnesses and invisible disabilities can be found at “The Invisible
Disabilities Advocate”:
It
is wrong to stereotype persons with disabilities. Many
persons with disabilities can be counted among some of the greatest achievers
of this nation. From what I have heard and observed
over the years, I am quite appalled by the lack of respect, and even cruelty,
of many people in general toward persons with visible and invisible disabilities.
Many people with disabilities, especially persons with
invisible disabilities, are routinely subjected to insensitive inquiries about
their disabilities, including discrimination, derogatory comments, harassment,
and mistreatment by many employees in places of business,
and by people in general.
I have compiled a list of do’s and don’ts
that can be quite helpful for dealing with persons with disabilities in
general:
BUSINESSES:
When a person with a visible or non-visible
disability takes the trouble to bring to you information about his/her
disability, possibly with sections of applicable law and is making a legal
request for Accommodations under the Law the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA):
DO NOT:
1- Do not, become defensive and refuse to
accept the information that this person is providing to you. Persons
with disabilities are usually very well informed about their disabilities and
their legal rights under the Law ADA.
2- Do not be rude, verbally or otherwise,
such as throwing on the counter the information provided to you by a person
with a disability.
3-Do not make insensitive requests or
comments about a person with a disability, such as, “What’s wrong with you?” You surely look fine to me!” Well,
you surely could make it to my store!”
4-Do not refuse to accommodate or threaten a
person with a disability asking for accommodations under
5- Do not give the brush off to a person
explaining to you his/her disability and requesting accommodations under the
Law ADA.
6-Do not discriminate by first serving non-disabled
customers and then the person with a disability.
7-Do not become impatient, irate, and ask a
person with a disability to leave your premises, thus refusing to provide
services while this person is trying to obtain the reasonable
accommodations/modifications he/she needs under the law the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) as legal action can be taken.
8-Do not purposely interrupt a person with a
disability who is trying to explain to you the accommodations and
modifications, he /she needs under the Law ADA.
9-Do not make sarcastic remarks, jokes,
about a person with a disability.
10- Do not purposely spray chemicals in the
presence of a person disabled by Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), as it
could result in very serious reactions for the person with this
illness/disability and potentially very serious legal consequences.
Information about Multiple Chemical
Sensitivity (MCS) can be read at, MCS HOMEPAGE:
http://www.nettally.com/prusty/mcs.htm
DO:
1-Greet all persons with visible / invisible
disabilities with a friendly smile and attitude.
2-Listen attentively to what a person with a
disability is trying to convey to you.
3-Be courteous, and take gracefully the
information provided to you by a person with a disability.
4-Thank the person with a disability for
bringing information about his/her disability, and information about the
5-Serve persons with disabilities as
efficiently and promptly as possible, especially persons suffering from painful
chronic illnesses or disabilities such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Do not use or
spray any chemicals in the presence of persons disabled by MCS, as it could
result in very severe reactions that could be life-threatening.
6-Be kind and compassionate toward persons
with disabilities.
7-Be patient and understanding of the
limitations of persons with disabilities.
8-Educate yourself about the
9-Go out of your way to help persons with
disabilities.
10-Make persons with disabilities feel at
ease and welcomed, such as saying, “nice to see you, thank your very much for
your business, please come back to see us”.
This way, professional relations with your
customers with disabilities will be very good, which will benefit both your
business and persons with disabilities.
Information about the law “The Americans
with Disabilities Act” (
It
is recommended to the general public to refrain from sending dirty looks or
making unfounded, hurtful, and derogatory comments to persons who happen to
look good and healthy and yet may suffer tremendously from invisible chronic
illnesses or disabilities.
The next time you get impatient and angry,
give dirty looks, discriminate, harass, or make hurtful, sarcastic remarks,
think twice. The young, healthy looking,
pretty woman who seems to take so much time at a store check-out, the healthy
looking lady who insists on having each of her water bottles put in double
paper bags, and the young, well dressed, healthy looking man pulling into the
handicapped parking space may be people who have painful chronic illnesses and
are legally disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA). They most likely have the legal right to park in that
disabled parking space!
© 2007 Christiane Tourtet
Reprinted with Permission
Copyrighted © 2008 MCS