lifelw:

This is my cousin Hannah and her boyfriend Brigg. She’s graduating High School this year and planning on attending college in the fall or spring semester of the next academic year. If she decides to, she’ll be one of only a handful of people with Down Syndrome to attend college. She is also in her High School’s theater program and plays basketball in the Special Olympics.

She is a really cool person, and has done a lot to change how I see the world. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to leave conversations with my friends who say things like “I would NEVER adopt a special needs kid… it’s just such a burden.” etc. and when I protest people say “Well, that’s just one case, certainly some people are fine but most of the time…”

But it isn’t most of the time. People with Downs get married, they have children, they go to school and work. They have favorite sports teams, movies, plays and music. They play instruments, sports and make art.

Any “burden” that afflicts families with special needs children comes from ableist institutions failing to provide adequate forms of healthcare, education and other services tailored to specific people. Any person who thinks it is okay to say things like this, or other discriminatory language, do some research and meet more people…understand the accuracy of what you’re saying. Plus also, stop being an asshole.

Yes! Yes! Yes! She is so beautiful. I have a younger brother with Down’s. He is one of the reasons that I don’t just accept the failures of institutions and systematic injustices heaped upon marginalized communities. I’ve been struggling with people who use ableist slurs lately, but I’m not sure why I’m struggling. If people were saying similar things that pertained to other communities, I probably wouldn’t hesitate to call them out. I think this post is to say that I’m going to start. Thank you for your post, lifelw!