Is it Wrong to Want More Disabled Friends?
Mar 12, 2019
Anonymous asks, quote:
I’m disabled, and I want to make friends with more disabled people. Is it wrong of me to want to have disabled friends? I want to be able to talk to someone about our different experiences, being disabled, ways to deal with ableism, etc. I go to a tiny high school and, as far as I know, I’m the only disabled person there, so currently all my friends are abled. It also means that I’m the only one that I know of dealing with ableism, which is isolating.
end quote.
As a disabled person, there’s nothing wrong about wanting to have more disabled friends.
I know exactly how you feel. I was the only kid in a wheelchair at every school I ever attended up until the 8th grade. Until I graduated high school, I was the only one in the school who didn’t have an aid or was not part of the SPED program. It wasn’t until college that I actually attended classes with another person in a chair.
To be honest, it doesn’t get a lot easier in adulthood. The odds of you meeting another disabled person at a social event are really small. If you want to make more disabled friends (which you should totally do!), you’re going to need to make an effort. Check to see if there are any meetups or social clubs in your area. Another great way to meet disabled people is to join an adaptive sports team. I made most of my disabled friends through my years playing wheelchair basketball.
No matter what method you decide to try, never give up. Making friends—disabled or not—takes time and effort. Be patient and stick to it.