Not Your Inspiration: Changing the Narrative Around Disability

If you’re part of the neurodivergent or disabled community — or work closely with it — you’ve probably heard it before:

 “Aww, you’re so inspiring!”

“I don’t know how you do it.”

“God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers.”

These comments are usually meant well. But let’s talk about why they’re actually harmful — and how we can shift the narrative.

When we call disabled people “inspirational” just for existing, we're often saying more about our own low expectations than their actual achievements. Living life while disabled is not automatically brave. Using a wheelchair or letterboard doesn’t make someone a hero. Surviving in a world that constantly overlooks you — now that takes strength. But it shouldn’t be necessary.

Here’s what we need to remember:

🌟 Disabled people are not here to inspire you just by being themselves.

🌟 They are not lessons, objects of pity, or feel-good stories.

🌟 They are full human beings — with agency, desires, talents, and frustrations.

In the S2C world, I’ve seen incredible spellers write poetry, advocate for human rights, and challenge systems. Not because they wanted applause, but because they finally had access to express what’s always been inside them.

Let’s stop applauding survival and start creating systems where thriving is the norm.

Want to truly celebrate disabled people?

✅ Hire them.

✅ Include them.

✅ Amplify their voices.

✅ Respect their autonomy.

Don’t reduce someone’s whole identity to an “inspiration.” Just be a decent human. That’s all they really want.