People with disabilities value shows of support

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/10/2017 (2929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the past few years, when October rolls around, I have been given the opportunity to write an article highlighting Dwarfism Awareness Month. Over the years, this article has primarily focused on facts about dwarfism, where I’ve previously shared that 75 per cent of little people come from average-height families, or that roughly one in 40,000 infants is born with a form dwarfism.

I have told you that dwarfism is the result of a genetic mutation on the fourth chromosome that happens at the point of conception, and I have reminded you that the term “midget” is an offensive word that must be removed from your vocabulary.

Finally, I have shared some of the struggles that people living with dwarfism encounter on a frequent basis. This year I felt it was time to balance things a bit by highlighting a different aspect of living with dwarfism: support.

Support for people with disabilities can come in many forms. For those with mobility restrictions, having accessible walkways, options for fully accessible public restrooms, the kindness of a stranger to see beyond the disability, or simply being invited to join in the discussion about accessibility improvements can make a huge difference — not only for practical reasons, but also because these gestures and accommodations represent an ideology of inclusiveness.

When these types of gestures or accommodations are not present, the opposite message is sent, which makes you feel unwanted or not valued to some degree. Inclusivity is an important notion for people with disabilities; in the workplace, inclusivity and supportive behaviour from your employer are essential to your success and your overall well-being.

Over the course of my career, I have had the pleasure — and in some cases, displeasure — of experiencing different types of corporate culture and varying degrees of support for the notion of inclusivity.

On the wrong end of the inclusivity spectrum, a company that I used to work for (which, ironically, is no longer in business) contemplated disciplining me for not properly locking a door which had a locking mechanism located at the top of the door frame — about eight feet off the ground — and a motion detector that wasn’t able to register my four-foot frame.

No stool, ladder or any other device had been provided, or even considered, to help me execute this task, and I was forced to stand on an overturned cart to attempt to lock the inaccessible door. At the time of this incident, I felt quite depressed because I take pride in my career and my reputation, but felt helpless in this situation because my employer did not take the time or effort to understand my situation.

This incident, in retrospect, was a blessing in disguise as it paved the way for me to find my current position working for a fantastic company that is understanding, supportive, encouraging and, most importantly, inclusive. I work for Price Industries Ltd, a Winnipeg-based multinational corporation that, upon my hiring and prior to assessing my performance, while I was still a probationary employee, genuinely invested in me. They hired an ergonomic consultant and made special arrangements for customized furniture, all in an effort to ensure that I was comfortable at work and set up to succeed.

This type of support can be expensive and is not necessarily an option for every business that hires a person with a visible disability. In many cases, the extent to which Price made accommodations for me would be financially prohibitive for a smaller business. However, the idea of support and inclusiveness, and the questions that were asked about my comfort at the workplace, created an environment where I felt valued, supported and prepared for a meaningful career.

These gestures and accommodations can be applied beyond the workplace, in almost every facet of our lives, whether it means looking beyond the disability and getting to know someone, or simply asking the right questions.

October is Dwarfism Awareness Month. Dwarfism is a visible disability like many others, and regardless of what type of disability you have, the one thing we all have in common is that what we are looking for is understanding, compassion, caring and support.

Samantha Rayburn Trubyk is president of Little People of Manitoba. For more information on Little People of Manitoba, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @LPManitoba or visit our website littlepeoplemanitoba.wordpress.com.