[R. Sterken]

Why is it that sometimes people who help disabled people make them do the most inappropriate activities in relation to their disability? For example, I have seen people make blind people jump off a diving board. Do you think that these disabled people are really missing out on this activity, or do you see it as them getting over their disability?

User Detail :  

Name : R. Sterken, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Muslim, Age : 19, City : Ontario, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Student, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[RobinW]

I used to teach visually challenged kids many years ago. They longed to be able to do the things they read about but never had the chance to try, such as jumping off a diving board. It's the kind of stuff you can't really understand until you experience it. So yes, the person involved feels that they are missing something, and wants to try it. No one is making them; they want to. And as long as basic safety issues have been addressed, why shouldn't they? I don't see this kind of thing as inappropriate. Performing surgery, now that would be inappropriate. But not taking part in sports. (And you can't 'get over' something like being blind by jumping off a diving board; if you could, there would be LONG lines.

User Detail :  

Name : RobinW, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 46, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[J-Jones]

I think if the person is free to say whether they want to jump off a diving board, then that's fine. It's their right to chose how they live their lives and how much they let their disability rule over that life. But if a person were unable to answer, and an abled person forced them to do something like that, that's not fair.

User Detail :  

Name : J-Jones, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 16, City : Auckland, State : NA Country : New Zealand, Occupation : Student, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Kris]

As a person with a disability(cp), sometimes I've found that 'able' people have decided in their head what they think is 'appropriate' for people with disabilities particularly when it comes to sports or outdoor activities. Most people I know who have disabilities, know their own limitations.As long as thay are secure in the challenges they accept or the goals they set for themselves and basic safety is addressed, why shouldn't people with disabilities experience stuff. What about you? Havent you ever chose to try something new that you have never done? Same idea! Only some folks who try new things have disabilities.

User Detail :  

Name : Kris, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : cerebral palsy, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 32, City : Boston, State : MA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Stacey L.]

I have worked for the past four summers at an overnight camp for children and adults with physical and/or developmental disabilities. There is one sesson made up entirely of children and teenagers with physical disabilities, nearly all of whom use wheelchairs. For new campers, when we tell them that we're going to have a camp dance, they are often skeptical. Most have never danced before, the unspoken assumption being that since they can't walk, they can't dance. But when the night of the dance arrives and they see everyone else having so much fun, they have to join in. Maybe they don't dance the same way as most people, and maybe an uninformed outsider would say that dancing would cruelly remind a child who used a wheelchair of what he or she 'couldn't' do, but for many of the campers the dance is the highlight of camp and the thing they look forward to each summer. Is this inappropriate?

User Detail :  

Name : Stacey L., Gender : F, Age : 20, City : Durham, State : NH Country : United States, Occupation : student, 

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