Discrimination and Disabilities

Throughout the course of a persons life they will have to overcome some trials and obstacles and we come to expect this so we deal with them, because we are fit and have use of all our senses and use of our limbs. Now let's say you have a disability, well in the not so distant past women and men with disabilities, besides the social barriers they had to overcome had certainly a lot of physical barriers to deal with to gain equality.

Schools
Education plays an enormous role in everyone's life and without it, it is very difficult to move ahead. Young people with disabilities such as being visually impaired, hearing impaired and physical impairment were not allowed to go to college and quite often had to attend special schools. Finding a job without even a knowledge of the basic skills was a huge obstacle in itself. In 1973 a welcome change happened, the Rehabilitation Act was passed and this act gave persons with disabilities the right to equal education and access to greater job opportunities.

Jobs
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was very important and if a company or organization received Federal Money it had to offer jobs to men and women with disabilities thus removing the discrimination against persons with disabilities.

Housing
Colleges and government buildings had to make access easier for persons with disabilities with the construction of wheelchair ramps and wider doors and in 1988 Congress extended fairness to all Americans with regard to housing. A law protecting all persons from discrimination with regard to mental and physical disabilities was passed by Congress in 1990 and it is called the Americans with Disabilities Act. Most companies and organizations have set about looking after all of their workforce like providing hearing aids, braille for persons who are visually impaired and installing communication special services for all who have disabilities.

Discrimination in the Military
In 1994 the introduction of the U.S. Military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass" ("Don't Ask, Don't Tell") policy has been a total failure. It is one law in America that actually dictates firing people because of their sexual orientation, this has to be addressed. People because of their sexual orientation should not be discriminated against in any shape or form. For more information on this subject see here

We at military rings online support all of society and I write this article in memory of my sister Joan Gilligan (RIP) who lived a very full 47 years of life and never once let her disabilities hold her back. May she rest in peace. All my love Tony G.