The disabled must become their oun advocates if the status quo is to change.

As a disabled advocate, your first objective should be to change those things that are causing the problems. As you begin your advocacy efforts you may find that the problem is a system called the status quo. The status quo must change or nothing will change. Remember that the status quo resists change so don’t get discouraged if your ideas appear to be rejected. Remember Rome wasn’t built in one day.

Four steps to implementing change in the status quo.

Step one. Don’t use negative words when addressing the public. Remove them from your vocabulary so that no one will consider you to be a complainer. No one listen to a complainer.

The Negative Word Approach: You insure that you will be considered to be a complainer Dear Sirs, I have been discriminated against because I am disabled.

The Positive Word Approach: Use this approach and you may discover that you are no longer labeled a complainer. Dear Sirs, it appears that the disabled do not have the same type of rights as their non-disabled counterparts You have just said the same thing but you have deleted all negative words. Be prepared however to back up your contentions with facts and figures

Step two, Die to your disability. Don’t dwell solely on your disability. Realize that your disability is only one within a sea of disabilities. Don’t forget about your disability. Use it to enlighten the public on what could happen if they insisted that all disabilities are given effective help and support.

If you cannot divorce yourself from your disability then don’t advocate because you may do more harm than good. You may be perceived to be only a complainer. Your attitude may then be used to convince leaders that all the disabled are nothing more than complainers. If this happens, then you have just insured that nothing will be done to change the status quo and this is what you want changed.

Step Three, Stick your neck out. Speak out on disability issues whenever you have the chance. This is the only way you can enlighten the public who will then demand changes in the status quo from their elected officials.

Step Four, Dress appropriately when you advocate to the public. The public will not take seriously anyone who is not appropriately dressed. If you are not taken seriously then how will you change the status quo?

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic