From Mr G. C. Cardona

I refer to the article entitled “The Body Beautiful” by Dr Andrew Azzopardi (TMIS, 8 May).

As a disabled person myself, I think one must draw a line when speaking about the experience of disabled people. The misrepresentation of disabled people (intentional or otherwise), ranging from the tragic to the heroic, can do more damage to the cause of disabled people. The pain and suffering I experience are personal issues, and to state that such pain is in itself a point of contemplation is a distortion of reality.

To paraphrase Viktor Frankl, suffering has meaning but needless suffering should be avoided. This pain is not in itself something we wish upon ourselves, but a consequence of some impairment we might have. Our personal story as disabled persons should not be romanticised to the point that we once again become “special” and thus alien when compared to others.

The struggle of being a disabled person touches far more than simply our pain. We strive to make the best of our life. We are not heroes, saints or actors in a play. We want to enjoy equal rights and opportunities. And we certainly do not want others to write about our experience as if they know what it is like to be disabled. There are already enough disabling barriers in our societies as it is. Let us not pretend to possess the experiences of disabled people as well.

Gordon C. Cardona

PAOLA