Accepting Our Differences

Aunjanna' Million

Many are looking for sympathy, and many others are looking for society to have the proper education and understanding for individuals with a handicap in order for them to live a healthy, independent life without judgement. You should never be called a granny at age 20 for carrying a cane in an effort to better assist yourself in getting around on campus. Nor should individuals tell jokes such as, “taking it one step at a time?” 

People with a need for more accessible routes should not be given side eyes or weird looks. They should not be avoided, they should not be made to feel different nor should they ever feel less than others. They should not only be provided adequate facilities, but adequate respect.

You would think that by the time individuals come to college they are ready and willing to embrace others who are different from them. Especially the individuals who have been in college for a while and have come across people whom do not look like them, think like them, talk like them, have the same morals as them, and or even walk like them.

Unfortunately, despite the education level of college students, many are not educated on diversity. They have either not been exposed or have merely not taken part in intercultural communication. Intercultural communication is a form of communication that aims to share information across different social groups. 

Social groups are formed by two or more people who collectively share similar characteristics and or interest whilst sharing a sense of unity. There are many different types of social groups, they include, but are not limited to, religion, race, sexual orientation, sports, hobbies, gender, and disability. Intercultural communication encourages the intermingling of all of these different cultures and groups. This communication allows stereotypes and prejudices to decrease in an effort to eventually eliminate them altogether. It also allows for individuals to be more informed and understanding of those whom are not of their same social group. 

People must realize that in most cases we have more in common than we have different. We must not be afraid to see those similarities. Do not let what’s outside keep you from seeing and possibly loving the inside. It is time that we not only have adequate facilities for handicaps, but we have adequate education to all students and all citizens on a global scale. Starting with college students whom are the leaders and advocates of today. We can not move forward as a nation nor prosper as global citizens if we are not educated and not just tolerant but appreciative of all people no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual preference, or disabilities.

To move forward as a nation, we must move forward together. But before we can come together as a whole, we must first change our individual ways.