zombiewife - i really appreciate you starting this thread - it certainly did give me an opportunity to hear how others have experience this stigma and to share my feelings - it is a concern and should be discussed - i have dealt with the stigma that people assign to the handicapped most of my life - my brother dove into a creek when he was 14 - i was 11 - he broke his neck and has been in a wheelchair as a quadrapeligic since - and that was in the 60's, way before christopher reeves so you can imagine - even today there are still people who stare, treat him as though he is incapable of speech or making a rational decision,etc... - all i can say is - so much ignorance, so little time