National Disability Day: Disability Rights and Why You Need to Know About Them

One in four adult Americans, or 25 percent, have one or more of these types of disabilities: mobility, cognitive, hearing, vision, or the inability to live independently or care for themselves. However, this statistic does not include psychological and mental conditions. Why does that matter? Because anxiety is the most common of these conditions and affects nearly one in three, or more than 30 percent, of adults. Another common condition is depression, which affects more than 16 percent of adults.

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Disabilities, especially mental conditions such as anxiety and depression, are still considered taboo in communities across the United States, including among American Muslims. We do not like to talk about these conditions. We would rather pretend that the conditions do not exist or that we are not affected by them. This mentality hinders our ability to seek treatment and receive accommodations that would help us optimally function in our daily lives. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and other civil rights laws protect people with disabilities from discrimination by people, governmental entities, and businesses. These laws protect people with disabilities in employment situations, in places of public accommodation (businesses and other public spaces), public or private transportation, and housing.  

You are likely wondering, “Why is this article here? Yes, there are people with disabilities, but that doesn’t affect me. Why does it matter?” Do you:

1. take medication for a health condition?

2. have chronic pain or discomfort due to old injuries or health conditions?

3. use a mobility device or other assistive technology such as screen readers or hearing aids?

4. need help with daily activities such as cooking, cleaning, taking a shower, or getting dressed?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are likely protected under some of the laws discussed above. As a community, we tend to be comfortable with answering yes to the questions above because we understand that there is no shame in getting help for these conditions. Now look at these next questions — Do you:

1. have a hard time concentrating or focusing on daily activities?

2. constantly worry about things out of your control?

3. sometimes get overwhelmed and shut down, unable to function for periods of time?

4. get irrationally irritated or excessively fatigued?

5. feel exhausted but unable to sleep? 

6. feel a sense of inexplicable, impending doom?

Does answering yes to any of these questions make you uncomfortable? Would you be more comfortable saying yes if you knew that you were not alone in answering yes? Because I can guarantee you that you are not alone. If you looked around a crowded masjid (pre-COVID, of course), you are bound to find many people that feel the same way you do and who would also answer yes to the second set of questions. These experiences can be linked to anxiety or depression. 

You might think, “Okay, but still, why does it matter?” It matters because disabilities tend to impact our lives in various ways. By ignoring their existence, we trudge through life, forcing ourselves to work and live at a pace we think is “normal.” This impacts us negatively in a myriad of ways — physically, mentally, and emotionally. We become more and more worn-down and overwhelmed until we are no longer able to function. By acknowledging the existence of our disabilities, we can consciously seek help and receive the accommodations we need to function at our most optimal levels.

Image courtesy of NACCHO

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying uncertainty of the future has caused increasing levels of stress in more than 80 percent of adults. Stress is a response to a threat, and anxiety is a reaction to that stress. In unprecedented and stressful times like these, we need to be aware of the impact that stress has on us and the people around us. Remember that you are not alone in this situation. Take a look at the people around you. That attorney, that doctor, that cashier, that teacher, that parent, that student — it is likely that they are all impacted by a disability in some way. Do not be afraid to seek help to accommodate your needs so that you can have an equal opportunity to be successful in whatever it is that you are doing, whether that is by requesting accommodations in your work schedule, duties, or office location; requesting academic adjustments in the classroom or your coursework; or requesting accommodations to make repairs or modifications to the property, adjust or terminate your lease agreement, or other housing concerns.

For more information on disability and the COVID-19 pandemic, check out the resource page on Disability Rights Texas, which includes online generator tools for self-advocacy. For additional information on your rights, reach out to your local disability rights organizations.

Afnan Akram is a civil rights attorney. She graduated from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 2019 and is currently working at Disability Rights Texas.