Don’t tell me how good I look … even if I do look good.
Invisible Disabilities Week took place earlier this month. And, as people with MS know very well, multiple sclerosis can be as invisible as Casper the Ghost. An invisible disability isn’t limited to people with MS, but we have to be close to the top of the list of people who are told they look good when they actually feel terrible. The Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) promotes the week each year and its mission statement speaks to our experience:
“IDA is about believing. We believe you! The frequently invisible nature of illness and pain may lead to disbelief about that illness or pain by those surrounding the person who lives daily with invisible disabilities. This disbelief can lead to misunderstandings, rejection by friends, family and heath care providers. It may also lead to accusations of laziness or faking an illness. We are passionate about providing awareness that invisible illness, pain and disabilities are very real!”
Indeed, they are. I’m feeling great today, but tomorrow I might be too tired to drag myself out of bed. The other day I read about a woman with MS who tripped, hit her head, and — you guessed it — was accused of being drunk. Fellow MS News Today columnist Teresa Wright-Johnson wrote about the problem of invisibility a year ago. I’m sure nearly everyone reading this column can think of times in their lives when they were accused of whining, being lazy, or, of course, being drunk.
An invisible disability symbol
The IDA is campaigning for laws that would allow someone with an invisible disability to request a symbol indicating that status (the organization’s logo, a stylized “i”) be printed on a government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license. It would be similar to the way a symbol indicating an organ donor can be placed on drivers licenses.
Alaska is the first state to pass a law like this. Earlier this year, Colorado legislators considered a similar bill but it appears to have stalled in a House committee.
I think I like the idea. What about you?
(A version of this post first appeared as my column on the MS News Today website).
(Featured image by nangreenly from Pixabay).
