I feel just awful!

For years I’ve done "diversity presentations,"

and never included people with disabilities.

I just never thought

about them!

Conference Participant

We love differences and diversity. When I look at the pencil cup on my desk, I love to see the different types and colors of pens, pencils, and markers at my disposal. I’m the proud owner of three different types of mechanical pencils! And check out the suitcases in my garage: I have a wide variety—different sizes, colors, and materials. My hairstyle has changed over the years; I like a new and different look every now and then. I cherish the few aspen trees that are different from the pines that fill our yard.

Everywhere we look, we love differences and diversity in: pens, pencils, cars, hair styles, computers, clothes, shoes, food, furniture, flowers and trees, telephones, music, art, vacations, weather, pets, hair spray, shave cream, shower gels, and…the list is endless. We seem to love diversity and differences in all things except people—specifically, people with disabilities. Before wading into the disability aspect of this subject, let’s look at some examples in more detail.

When summer is upon us, some of us savor an isolated cabin by a lake for a week’s worth of peace and quiet—we value simplicity. Others may prefer a busy two weeks, cramming in as much fun as possible at Disney World, Epcot Center, Sea World, Universal Studios, and every tourist attraction in between. We value nonstop excitement. These two vacations are very different and they’re both valuable. How awful if we all had to take the same kind of vacation!

Moving on to people, our society is learning to value diversity among humans. Click here to continue.​

Spotlight on Diversity

Disability Is Natural Books and Media

 DISABILITY IS NATURAL!

New Ways of Thinking and Revolutionary Common Sense