About a week ago I was scrolling through Instagram when I happened upon I post by a Instagram page I follow advocating for disabilities.
The post was similar to the post you see above with the words
“My Disability Defines Me” written over and over.
I’m writing this post today to explain my point of view, why I disagree with this post, why I believe it is the wrong terminology, the wrong language, and why it can be extremely harmful to a disabled person.
I want to preface this by saying, this is my opinion. If you are disabled and believe the statement “My Disability Defines Me” that’s okay. We are allowed to agree to disagree. I am just offering my perspective as a person with a disability.
I believe a huge part of the purpose God has placed on my life is to advocate for people with disabilities. That is simply what I’m doing in this blog post today.
This may be a little long, but I hope you’ll stick around till the end!
First, I want to make it known that when I first saw this post on my feed I was angry. and then as I read the caption I became infuriated because there was nothing wrong with the caption underneath the photo.
You see, the caption underneath talked about how having a disability is a part of your identity and how we should recognize that and not run from that. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I 100% agree!
I firmly believe this account, this person, used the wrong language, and does not understand what the word “define” means.
I googled the word a few days later just out of curiosity.
Here’s what I found:
Definition - a statement of the exact meaning of a word, especially in a dictionary.
So let’s back up... if the word “define” means exactly what Google says.
and my disability defines me, that means that if you were to open a dictionary and find my name right next to it would be “Cerebral Palsy” that’s it. That’s what I mean. That’s what I am. (According to this terminology)
Then my heart broke... because my first thought when I think of identity is Christ because I am a Christian.
I’m thinking... and I’m thinking....
The three girls that run this Instagram page, judging by this post they are not Christians. (This is not a judgement, rather a pure observation)
Then I’m thinking....
this account has 5,000+ followers, and if they have 5,000+ people (especially non disabled people following them simply to become more educated on disabilities) they are being mislead.
Maybe you are reading this and you’re not a Christian. That’s okay, but if you would continue reading let me explain a Biblical worldview to you.
Colossians 3:1-3 says,
“Since then you have been raised with Christ set your minds on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
A little background on these verses. Paul is writing to the people of Colossae while he is in prison because his friend Epaphras, the founder of the church of Colossae told Paul about them. Epaphras explained to Paul that their were a lot of false prophets at the church of Colossae during this time trying to defer the Colossians from Christ and His teachings. Therefore, Paul wrote this letter to remind them of Christ’s expectations of them, to remind them to put away their old ways of idolatry, lust, etc. because Christ has made them new. Essentially Paul was reminding the Colossians this (insert sin) here is not who you are anymore. However, THIS (insert Jesus here) is who you are, and you are no longer of the world rather just living in it.
If you are not already a Christian I probably just REALLY confused you. The point I want to get across is we are not defined by things of this world rather, the only thing that can define us is Jesus.
If we let the things of this world define us it will never fill us in the way Jesus can. We will always be searching for more when Jesus came to give us life and give it to us abundantly.
I know that was a lot, but stick with me.
Back to the idea of “my disability defines me”
I gave you a Christian worldview perspective, but let me throw in another one for you.
If my disability defines me and next to my name in the dictionary is going to be “Cerebral Palsy” there are going to be a few more things following it like “Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Depression, PTSD.”
But wait....
Aren’t those last three things listed really negative? They are.
But isn’t that the same thing as living by the “my disability defines me” terminology and language.
A physical disability can be as serious or less serious than a mental illness.
So why is it a positive thing to say “my disability defines me” because by that logic my other illness define me as well.
Back to the definition of “definition”
“The literal meaning of a word”
“My disability defines me” means,
I am Cerebral Palsy
I am generalized anxiety disorder
I am depression
I am PTSD
But that’s wrong.
I am not those things.
All of those things are a part of me. They make up who I am, and I would not be who I am without them. They are a part of my identity, but my disability is not my entire identity.
Going back to talking about Jesus because He’s a really cool dude. If you haven’t heard of Him or checked Him out you really should. If you want help with that, please reach out. I’d be more than happy to talk on and on about my main dude.
Anyway, I’m reading this devotional right now by a girl named Laney Rene. It’s called “Speak Your Name” it’s based on a song she wrote. The devotional is about how we are so quick to take the things the world says about us, the labels from others and the one’s we give ourselves like,
If someone says you put on a few pounds. We immediately as humans program our brain to say
“I am fat”
or “I am too skinny”
Another example she uses is cancer
which speaks right into my entire point.
You are NOT your diagnoses.
It is a part of you.
It needs to be acknowledged.
It needs to be embraced.
You need to find out what the purpose of “insert diagnosis here” whether it be anxiety, depression, cancer, a physical disability, whatever.
It is not your whole entire being. You are first and for most a child of God. You are some label.
You are a human who may have a physical disability, a mental illness, cancer, etc.
But it is not your entire being.
I’ve been praying about this post for a long time. I’ve been praying for the girls who run the Instagram account that I follow. That they would realize that their hearts are in the right place, but the terminology/language being used can be so harmful.
I wanted to make this instinctively for my friends who aren’t disabled. Some of them follow this account, and I want to be sure that the people I’m educating know what I believe
and above all else I want to point to Christ because my identity is found in Him and Him alone.
This post was a long one. I’m sure there are things I wanted to say that I have forgotten, but I pray that this gives you a better understanding of how I view myself as being someone with a disability.
I hope you will continue following a long as I try my best to advocate and educate the best I can because I truly believe that is why I have a disability. That’s why I have a mental illness. (The main reasons)
To educate
To raise awareness
To be heard
and to be a voice for the voiceless.
I hope you’ll join me in sharing things that I post to help be apart of the change.
Again, you don’t have to agree with this entire post, but thank you for reading, and I’m always open to hearing other points of view as well.
At the end of the day, I’m just trying to do my part and do what I feel I have been called to do.
xoxo
Lauren
Insta: @laurenvictoria___
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