# What do you intend/think when you say/hear "I'm disabled"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-intend-think-when-you-say-hear-im-disabled/937268>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 5, 2021, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-intend-think-when-you-say-hear-im-disabled/937268 "2021-03-05T14:14:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 12

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-intend-think-when-you-say-hear-im-disabled/937268/12 "2021-03-05T15:48:38Z")

</div>

Just for full disclosure, this question came to mind following this exchange discussing Alexa in another thread:

> [@Let's talk Alexa (voice operated devices)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-alexa-voice-operated-devices/937167/30):
>
> I use mine for music, asking specific questions (what day is March 21st, 2021?), checking the time, checking the weather, adding things to my calendar, shopping, turning lights on and off - particularly the bedside light - and speaking to my daughter in another room without having to go to the stairs and shout.

When I made a (admittedly somewhat snarky) comment about not needing help w/ mundane tasks such as flicking a light switch or going to the next room to talk to someone, the poster replied:

[quote]  
Heh. I’m disabled, …[/quote]

I’m not suggesting anything any way about SciFiSam and or his/her choice re: tech. But - possibly in light of my occupation, the thought occurred to me _“What type of ‘disability’ makes such mundane tasks challenging.”_ In my job, I often encounter people who claim some sort of “disability” - say a back impairment - prevents them from all manner of activities other than the expected lifting/standing/walking/sitting/mental-emotional effects… Some people seem more ready than others to describe themselves as disabled.

**Again, I am NOT questioning the fact that this poster is disabled - however he or others perceive/determine that. I am not trying to anger that poster, or say anything negative about him/her. I apologize if using their post as the example of what gave rise to my thoughts causes them any discomfort.**

And I also perceive differences between people who self-describe as disabled, vs those who have been determined to be disabled by the VA, SocSec, and employer…

Practically, when someone says, “I’m disabled”, my response is to not ask any questions, and pretty much acquiesce to however they are presenting themselves.

And yeah - loss of pinkie would mean more to a violinist than a garbage man. Heck, even a facial scar can warrant a substantial payout in civil litigation.

---

_[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-intend-think-when-you-say-hear-im-disabled/937268)._