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“They Tried To Pray Away My Deafness”: 18 Disabled People Share Their Outrageous Ableist Encounters
Article created by: Denis Krotovas
For many people with disabilities, navigating the world involves more than just physical or neurological challenges. It also means confronting a daily barrage of unsolicited advice, invasive questions, and shocking acts of cruelty from the able-bodied public. An online community asked disabled people to share the single rudest thing they have ever experienced.
The responses are a gut-punch. These stories are raw accounts of blatant ableism with everything from strangers trying to “pray away” a disability to having mobility aids kicked out from under them. This thread might be a little lesson in compassion for all of us.
More info: Reddit
- Read More: “They Tried To Pray Away My Deafness”: 26 Disabled People Share Their Outrageous Ableist Encounters
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#1
Would anybody like to know how many times I've been prayed over because Jesus will allow me to be healed and walk....
In restaurants... By Domino's delivery people.
That and random strangers walking up and pushing.
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#2
Someone once grabbed my head, stuck their fingers in my ears, and tried to pray away my deaf.
don't uh.... don't just grab people's head and stick your fingers in an orifice, it's weird and alarming.
#3
Disabled all my life and my mom still brings up (I’m 38)how slow I am, depending on what I’m doing and what mood she’s in ☹️.
#4
I've been knocked over during a gym class when I was young. People have ignored me when I was physically struggling with something very visibly. Some people can't understand I can't just live a "YOLO" lifestyle and become a world traveler and camp out in the woods, imply I'm lazy. Been mocked about things I can't achieve from family.
#5
"maybe you should talk to a psychologist"
...about me having normal human emotions while struggling with a physical disability.
#6
I don't have as many experiences as I'm sure others here do. However one of my disabilities causes tics(involuntary movements and sounds), and I used to be forced to attend church with my family. I was told directly by an old man in a wheelchair that I should pray whenever I felt tics coming because that would scare away the demons inside me.
#7
Rudest are definitely the people who want to pray over me or in one case asked if she could lay hands on me to try and heal my eye.
#8
People are haters. My own family calls me delusional and psychosomatic. I have 17 specialists and need surgery but can’t get it without pain management. Pain management refuses to help me telling me I need psychiatry. Worst insult on every level. I’ve been bed bound and had bed sores and even urgent care refused to exam me. I’ve become so sad I’m just waiting to die now. My GP says it’s likely I’ll have a heart attack or stoke because of my chronic tachycardia and high blood pressure because of untreated intractable pain. So fun.
#9
Getting out of my car after I parked at work and having another employee stop me to ask me if I was aware that I had just parked in a disabled spot. He didn't bother to look for the tag that was hanging on my rear view mirror for all to see.
To make matters worse, I was parked at that building to go to my monthly accessibility committee meeting.
#10
“Why don’t you just go back to work full time? Don’t you want to be a productive member of society?”
Thanks Jan, but I don’t base my self worth on how valuable I am to capitalism.
#11
I can feel people behind me wanting me to go faster, but judging from the stories I've heard from y'all, I have been extremely fortunate I've not had any of these kooks trying to pray over me or whatnot. I would probably be polite about my refusal. At first. I don't use a wheelchair, (I use a cane), but I would probably freak out on someone if they tried to push me. And I'm loud.
The rudest person I had to deal with recently was my last boss. She equated sitting with going slowly, and there was no convincing her otherwise.
#12
When my grandma was in the hospital dying,I had a nurse push me into the hallway because I was in her way. Didn’t ask me to move or anything, just wheeled me into the hallway.
#13
The rudest comment I would get is stuff like how are you BLIND and responding to questions on the Internet or another one I would get how can a blind person have a preference when it comes to dating.
#14
I’ve been disabled all my life, since birth. Most of that time has been in a wheelchair. So I’m pretty hardened to most comments and generally just ignore them or come up with a sarcastic reply. But one incident has stuck with me and likely will all my life.
About 15 years ago my folks and I were visiting my Aunts cottage in Maine. I went out one morning to explore the area. I’m used to drawing attention when I’m in the states (I’m Canadian) as there aren’t as many people with high end power chairs. (They are pretty common in Canada as everyone can apply for funding).
I had just enjoyed the fact I could use a walkway to get my feet to the sand and was heading back to the cottage when I hear a little kid yell out, frightened…”Look mommy, a monster!” I started looking around and spotted a kid around 8-10 years old with his mom.
I was still confused and figured he maybe saw a giant bug or something. Then he said it again, at that point the mom took his hand and said “Shh, I know…just keep walking.”
It took me a second to realize that I was the “monster”. I just sat there in shock. Eventually I made my way home and by that time I was in tears.
I just couldn’t fathom being called a monster. It wasn’t even that from the kid, I mean kids don’t always understand. And even though he was bit older I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt in case he had his own issues. It was the mother’s response. Validating and confirming the child’s view and then the way she rushed them to the car, watching over her shoulder. As though even being within yards of me would contaminate them.
Still gets me to this day.
#15
I've had mobility aids kicked out from under me a sick amount of times. Including when I was a minor. Between all the rude comments and the fact that so many people think that this behavior is okay, I go without until I can't physically stand without them.
#16
Well I have my right foot amputated and a kid was joking around asking me if I wanted to have a toe counting contest. Thinking he would surely beat me but I had the last laugh because I was done at 5 and he still had 5 to go.
#17
I was a teenager, going to the grocery store with a family friend and her daughters who I was friends with. At the time I was mostly ambulatory, and used crutches. We stowed them under an accessible cart that I could sit and be pushed on since we'd be there a while. Older woman using a walker chastised me as we were leaving for not walking while everyone else was.
When I was about four, my grandmother carried me into the store for a quick stop instead of unloading my wheelchair. I got yelled at for expecting her to carry me by someone in the store.
I remember these vividly and now I'm anxious as an adult to go out anywhere.
#18
I was leaving the hospital and i must have hit something like a rock. So i fall over and my walker, a full arable grown man no older then me (32) He walked around me then he said “sup”. If i was able body i would have told him what’s what. Unfortunately people dont take you serious yelling from the ground.
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