Your Not Really Disabled So Why Do You Get Benefits

not all disabilities are visual. That’s a big problem for ignorant people. Unless they see you in a wheelchair with no legs and arms. They need to educate themselves about invisible disabilities

What I find sad about about how judgemental people can be is that it wasn't something that they were born with but something that they have learned. Young children might notice a difference but they don't become judgemental, the normally want to know more and gain understanding.

There did seem to be a point in the early part of this century when I believed that greater understanding was being achieved. Minority groups with protected characteristics were becoming more visible and appeared on TV living normal lives albeit with different needs at times but even then the reasons got explained and people learnt. Minority groups started to feel safe and positively recognised in society.

Then we got a government who ruled by division and distraction. Identify an issue it had caused and find someone to be the fall guy, keep doing it whilst blaming different groups and continue pitting those groups against each other and use that to divide those not within those minorities. This was then followed by the Brexit vote and whichever way you voted, both sides provided non-factual information and statistics, apportioned blame and pointed at groups of people and made them scapegoats. Most of us took the decision for what it was but some on the extremes saw it as justification to their views and the chance to grab some power and they have used social media to spread their views and often say things behind anonymity that they might not have said in person. In the nearly ten years since, that has moved into general society and extremists have not only become emboldened but they identify ways to bring those who feel ignored by society on board with their views.

There are ways to tackle this and try to bring it back to a more positive place but it needs a government, a process and the people to do so. Visibility and communication are the keys. The LGB community went from pariahs to being accepted members of society because the power of the media as well as the bravery of the community raised the normalcy of the group. As more people came out to their friends and families it changed the public perception and generally most people found they knew someone who was gay and was part of their friends group or family which changed the negative perspective. I can't deny that it all wine and roses as there is now more hate crime than a decade ago, and many are not even reporting it.

I try to be visible with my mental health, it is not the first thing I will say when I meet someone but if it comes up in conversation then I will explain how it affects me. I will admit I do tend to not pick a situation where there may be negative consequences. It does need to have input from government and I am sickened that this Labour government is continuing in the deceit of its predecessor. It is easier to blame and scapegoat rather than have a full frank discussion about the issue. Benefit fraud is minimal as are the number of people who can con an assessment which is designed for the client to fail. It does happen and if the civil service had not been so denuded/privatised since the 1980's there would be staff to track those people down rather than going for the draconian decision to make personal bank accounts visible to the DWP. After all the government could get a warrant to investigate the bank account of someone they thought was a benefit cheat but no invading everyone's privacy is easier. There is a lot that can be done to make people aware that non-visible disabilities are real, but unless you have a government who is going to be positive and proactive, our community will always be on the back foot.

The advert on the tv with the guy who was playing football with his son one day but was in such agony with arthritis he couldnt get out of bed the next was good. Arthritis and especially Rheumatoid Arthritis can make you look like a liar. One day you can be out shopping the next hardly able to move from the pain but if somebody sees you out on a "good day" they automatically think there is nothing wrong with you.