To Those Who Give Me Dirty Looks for Using a Disability Parking Space

I don’t know why, but whenever some people see me get out of the car in a disability parking spot, I get some dirty looks. But why?

Do you not believe I have a condition that warrants the use of a disability sticker? What is your issue with it?

Do you think I’m too young to have a health condition debilitating enough to use a disability sticker? Does illness discriminate between the young and the old?

Well, sorry I’m not sorry that you feel some way about it. But obviously that’s something within yourself that you have to look at. I don’t need to be judged by people who have not a damn clue about my life or health.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), 117 million adults have at least one chronic illness with one in four adults having two or more chronic conditions.

Those are some pretty scary statistics. And, according to CDC, adults are considered to be 18 or older. So, am I still too young?

You don’t have the right nor are you entitled to judge my use of a disability sticker. It’s not like they’re handed out on the streets for free. I applied for it and was approved by medical professionals and the state.

In order for me to make it to work every day and not have my health negatively affect me or, even worse, progressively worsen, I use a disability sticker.

It serves as a tool for me to function as normally as I can in the world. And this is hard enough given the limitations I already have from my chronic conditions.

So, to those who give me dirty looks when seeing me in a disability spot, I am not ashamed to use it. I was, at first. I came to a point where if it’s between living a semi-normal life or not, I choose living a semi-normal life. My disability sticker enables me to do so.

You are in no place to judge the life of others. You are not entitled to question my use of a disability sticker. It’s truly none of your business.

You don’t have a reason to judge me just because you are naive to the fact that illness does not discriminate. Illness also doesn’t present itself the same and may be “invisible” to the human eye. If that’s the case, you may see a smile on the outside while my body is attacking itself.

The next time you give me a dirty look, I will confront you. I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation for my disability sticker nor the knowledge behind my chronic conditions.

Stop assuming things about young people with disability stickers. You know nothing about their life or daily struggles.

Instead of judging, maybe you should educate yourself and research chronic illness. Maybe then the ignorance of your assumptions and judgments can be laid to rest.

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Thinkstock photo via leah613.