One morning during middle school, I was busy working in a classroom for people with disabilities. I paused during my work as I heard a knock on the door. My teacher opened it, and a student was waiting with theirs. “He’s being disruptive,” That teacher explained, urging him to bring him to our class. My teacher accepted, saying, “Oh, is he? Bring him in!” His punishment for being a bad student was to sit with us, the ‘special’ kids.

The disdain against who we are is something not new to me. I’ve experienced plenty of foul language against me, yet this experience was confusing. But as I grew, I understood why I felt so negative about this interaction. My existence as an Autistic person was tolerated rather than accepted.

“What is the difference?” Some may ask, trying to understand what I mean. My answer is this: imagine you have booked a plane ticket for travel. As you board the plane, you notice a mother holding a baby, which fills you with dread. You expect the baby to cry annoyingly throughout the flight, but since you can do nothing about it, you deal with it. You don’t accept it. You tolerate it. That’s what people like me go through regularly. We are the crying baby that people dread every day. Experiences like these are what hurt us the most since, at least with people who hate us, they’re not hiding it. It makes us feel like even in an environment where it’s supposed to be open for disabled people; we are not welcome.

Tolerance is a common experience that many have because people see us as an obstacle in life, an annoyance to deal with, in no small part thanks to the system providing for us. The issue is challenging to solve as many systematic problems involve work from multiple parties. However, a good start would be to echo people’s experiences of being discriminated against for being disabled. Let people know that it doesn’t just take education to be a good supporter of disabled people. It requires the heart to accept us as, well, people.

Much of what makes us human is the differences that distinguish us, whether cultural background, appearance, voice, or ideas. So, to see people who are disabled with negative connotations and hide your hatred behind a facade goes against who we are. People with disabilities deserve treatment with the same respect and dignity as everyone else. We are human beings with fears, desires, talents, and voices that deserve hearing. Rather than ignoring our differences, people should accept and embrace them.