It really irks me when people are defined by what is different about them...

Jamaica_Bride

Gah, I am seeing this more and more everyday. People labeling themselves or their children by what is different!

I have many gay friends- some are totally defined by their sexual orientation some are not. I love poeple for WHO they are but not what makes them different.

I see a lot of parents so this when their child is labeled ( speech delayed, social disorders...any of the labels we use today. I hate it! I have a son, his name is Owen. Owen is severly speech delayed but I DO NOT define him be it and will not let the school.

I have a very good friend who had cancer and a clean bill of health for the last 10 years. Everytime we talk she talks about it. I know and am sympathetic that is was a life changing event but come on.

I have has some bad things happen to me, trust, but I am not defined by it, I'm Lisa who has lived life.

 

) Flame away about how insensitive I am.

KrisBriMcBunny

I totally get what you're saying.  It IS a life changing experience but come on its been 10 yrs now.

CleoKitty

I'm with Auntie- once you've been through something like that you can define yourself however the hell you want to define yourself.

That being said, it's my personal pet peeve when people say things like "the autistic boy at school" or "my cousin's Down Syndrome baby."  Maybe it's just a matter of semantics or political correctness that would make others roll their eyes, but it puts the disability before the person and defines them by it.

Andrewsgal

-auntie-:

I think with cancer it's not something that ever goes away.

I have a dear friend who is officially in remission from breast CA. She was dx'd the same month Elizabeth Edwards was- same type of CA, same treatment protocol. The anxiety and pall this disease hangs on every aspect of her life is palpable. I also know a few people in the deaf, GLBT and Aspergers communities who feel that their differences do fundamentaly define who they are. Totally their call to make.

I could not agree more with this quote. I have a dear friend who has type 1 diabetes and was diagnosed at 6. I acutually met her at a camp for children with disabilities that we both worked at and she attended as a diabetic (they also have diabetic camp). She  is now a child life specialist working with children recently diagnosed. Everything from her friendships, her job and even her husband (who she also met at camp) were shaped because she was a daibetic.

KrisBriMcBunny

I'm deaf and I do NOT let that define who I am.  Its not something I talk about every single day.  Its not something I think about every day.  I hate it when people go out of their way to treat me different just because I'm deaf.  I dont feel that I need, entitled to  or even deserve special treatment just because I'm deaf.

buffalo_buckeye

I think it's all about attitude. You can take the crap life gives you and turn it into good or let it bring you down and negatively affect every decision and conversation you have.