Dear “Normal� People

Dear “Normal� People,

You’re confusing me. You tell me I have rights; and then you get angry when I exercise those rights.

You tell me to ignore the stares of strangers; and then you get embarrassed to go out with me; because people might look.

You teach me to be assertive; and then punish me for speaking up.

You tell me not to lie because it’s wrong; and then you lie to my face.

You tell me you care about me and are glad I can articulate well enough to express my needs; and then you tell me to “shut up and go away�.

You tell me to act like an adult; yet you speak to me as if I were a child; even when I am older than you.

You tell me I will succeed at anything; If I try hard enough; and then you tell me to be realistic and stop dreaming of what I can never be.

You tell me I will only fail when I stop trying; and then you give up on me.

I don’t think I want to be “normal�.

Abnormal

I thought I should explain that this letter was written by a disabled person. I posted it for caretakers. I thought that with my abby normal avatar that you might have thought I wrote it.

Hugs,

MG