Problems Faced by Disabled People: An English Essay for Social Studies

This essay examines the multifaceted challenges faced by people with disabilities, highlighting the societal barriers and discrimination they encounter daily. It explores issues such as the violation of their freedom of movement due to a lack of inclusive design, body autonomy violations, and stigmatization. The essay delves into historical contexts, referencing the 'ugly laws' of the mid-1700s to 1970s, which further marginalized disabled individuals. It identifies problems in various aspects of life, including economic, educational, and healthcare challenges, as well as attitudinal barriers and institutional discrimination. The essay underscores the importance of treating disabled people as equals, ensuring accessibility, and advocating for their fundamental rights, emphasizing the need for societal inclusion and equal opportunities. The essay concludes with a call to end discrimination and guarantee the freedom of all individuals, regardless of their abilities.

Running head: English Essay
English Essay
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ENGLISH ESSAY
Introduction:
People with disabilities face a plethora of problems in daily life and this essay is a
reflection of that fact. One should be as vigilant about disability inclusion as one is about racial
inclusion. Disability comes with its own set of challenges and trials but the inability to move
freely because of a lack of inclusive design is a gross violation of their basic right to freedom and
is detrimental to the health of a disabled person. The freedom of movement of disabled people is
stalled in other ways ("Opinion | A Girlfriend Of My Own."). Their personal space is often
violated and they are often exposed to unwarranted touch especially people who are on a
wheelchair which leads to a feeling of violation. Apart from these body-autonomy violations, the
movement and autonomy of the disabled people are constantly challenged by society. Both
physical and psychic pain is part of the lives of people with disabilities. The challenges that
disabled people face range from physical to emotional, psychological, economic, education,
health and culture.
Disabled people face several problems in their daily lives. This essay aims to identify the
severe problems faced by the disabled people in their daily lives. More often than not, disabled
people are stigmatized in society. It is the duty of the society to treat them as equals and not
discriminate them and help them as much as possible.
Discussion:
During the mid 1700 up until the 1970s, many countries had what was colloquially
known as the ugly laws. According to this law, it was illegal for a person who was maimed,
mutilated, deformed to appear in public. They were allowed to appear in public only if they were
subjects of demonstration, to show the public the difference between the able and the disabled

2ENGLISH ESSAY
people and the need for reforming the disabled people. People with physical disabilities suffer
from racial segregation.
Disabled people are one of the most excluded sections of the society and they face a
plethora of economic challenges ("Opinion | If You’Re In A Wheelchair, Segregation Lives"). It
arises mostly out of discrimination that they face in their daily lives. Every school or workplace
is supposed to be handicapped accessible, but unfortunately it is not, which creates a lot of
problems for people who are disabled. It is also difficult for them to maneuver at the workplace
(Siebers). Disabled people also feel that they are always being ignored, and they feel like they
are slowing people down. They are more often than not, teased and taunted in schools and in
colleges, and later in life at the workplace (Opinion | Passing My Disability On To My
Children").
The various challenges faced by disabled people include inaccessibility wherein most of
the offices are inaccessible for disabled people. Low representation is another problem faced by
disabled people (Opinion | Passing My Disability On To My Children"). Lack of proper health
care is another problem that is faced by disadvantaged people. The lack of proper and adequate
health care facilities for disabled people is a considerable barrier to health care. Affordability of
transportation and health service are two of the primary reasons why people with disabilities do
not receive the requisite health care. The education system is still not completely inclusive which
creates many problems with people with disabilities. School buildings are inaccessible and not
all teachers are trained to teach students who are disabled. Attitudinal barriers which results in
discrimination and stigmatization deny people who are disabled their dignity and poses a major
threat to a disabled person in achieving equality of opportunity and social integration. People
with disabilities also face institutional barriers including a plethora of laws, strategies, policies or

3ENGLISH ESSAY
practices that discriminate against people who are disabled. Disabled people also bear the brunt
of having inadequate data and statistics on them. The lack of data and statistics combined with a
lack of planning often delay in understanding and actions on disability inclusion. Poor
implementation of policies and plans can prevent the inclusion of people with disabilities.
People who are disabled have difficulties taking care of themselves and have to depend
on others to take care of themselves. This leads to a loss of independence. Transportation is
another problem. Disabled people face a plethora of problems while taking a public transport and
conveyance is always a problem for them. Lack of education is another problem faced by people
with disabilities since every school do not have the means to arrange for computer aids for
people who are visually impaired. Disabled people also have a small social network. This is
primarily due to discrimination and misunderstanding. For example, sign language used by
visually impaired people is not known by the general public and hence people who are disabled
miss out on a lot of social interaction. People with disabilities are also unfortunately stigmatized
in society.
Conclusion:
One should not discriminate against anybody based on caste, sex, religion or disability.
No person should be treated as an untouchable. It should be an offence punishable by law. Every
person, regardless of whether he is able or disable should have his freedom guaranteed. There
should not be any trafficking of human beings, including those people who are disabled, and any
kind of forced labour should be punishable by law. Every disabled person should be entitled to
move to the courts to enforce his fundamental rights.

4ENGLISH ESSAY
REFERENCES:
"Opinion | A Girlfriend Of My Own." Nytimes.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 13 Nov. 2018.
"Opinion | If You’Re In A Wheelchair, Segregation Lives." Nytimes.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 13
Nov. 2018.
"Opinion | Passing My Disability On To My Children." Nytimes.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 13 Nov.
2018.

5ENGLISH ESSAY
Bibliography:
Davis, Lennard J. The disability studies reader. Routledge, 2016.
Kassebaum, N. J., et al. "Global, regional, and national prevalence, incidence, and disability-
adjusted life years for oral conditions for 195 countries, 1990–2015: a systematic
analysis for the global burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors." Journal of
dental research 96.4 (2017): 380-387.
Morris, Jenny. Pride against prejudice: Transforming attitudes to disability. The Women's Press,
2014.
Oliver, Mike. "Defining impairment and disability." Disability and Equality Law (2017): 3.
Siebers, Tobin. "Disability aesthetics." Disability, Space, Architecture: A Reader. Routledge,
2017. 81-90.