'You are too handsome to be disabled.'
Thank you, I know that I am. In all seriousness, though, comments like these get said to me now and again. I totally understand that comments like these come from people who have genuinely good intentions, but they do come across as a little offensive, awkward, and very outdated, if I am honest. If I were to oust the current Prime Minister and become the country leader, would I become too handsome to do that particular job? The answer is NO.
My disability does not define me, and I can make my own decisions. My appearance, academic capabilities, and overall abilities should not be judged against my disabilities. These are totally separate, and we are all unique in our own special ways.
This comes back to that subject and word that I really hate, ‘Ableism’. There is no such meaning. Our contribution to society is and always will be just as important as everyone else’s, at least from an educational perspective anyway.
If you are going to say ‘You are too handsome to be disabled,’ ask yourself if it is absolutely a relevant thing to say in the whole concept of things, of course, if you really mean it and are attracted to that person fair enough, leave the word ‘disabled’ out of the conversation. Then the comment becomes a more inclusive one; try not to say it to make someone feel better, because more than likely, you will make them feel totally the opposite to actually feeling ‘handsome.’ Trust me, it does not work for me.
