Why I prefer using the word Persons with Disabilities over differently-abled?
- Why award us for being ‘differently-abled’? Do you not have unique abilities? I know a friend who can touch the tip of his nose with his tongue.
- The different terms you use to call us hasn’t changed our reality. Sadly, I didn’t grow wings when you called me divyaang.
- Don’t be blasphemous. I am not divine as I love my wine!
- I don’t have special needs. I never asked to be given an SPG Cover.
- I don’t necessarily have to be gifted with any abilities. I am still exploring like every other regular person!
- At Parent Teacher Meetings, I was always compared with my brother, and guess what! I was the asshole.
- Aren’t we all differently abled? Sharma ji’s son always scored more marks in Mathematics while you were good at sports.
- Stop trying to be politically correct all the time. You can call me disabled!
- No, I never scored more marks because of my disability. I topped the CBSE Board Examination in 2005 and my grader did not know I was disabled.
- In a world of quirkiness, there is no normal. Stop trying to fit my disability in your definition of ‘normal’ by calling me differently-abled.
- I already know everyone is different. Tell me something new?
- By calling me differently abled, you blame me for my disability. Don’t you think it’s much more than that? My disability is a result of social, cultural and political structures that impose barriers on my independent living.
- I call myself disabled because I reject the idea that it is wrong to have my body.
- I’d rather be atypical because ‘typical’ is boring!
- If you are reading this, I am sure you are old enough to know that God did not specially create me.
- I am not as unfortunate as you think I am. Google me, I am famous.
- Even if I had any special needs, the society thinks it is not worth spending on me.
- My abilities are diverse, don’t know if I can call them ‘special’.
Nipun Malhotra,
Founder
Wheels For Life