Historically, societies have been quick to exclude those who seem to differ from the

majority. Whether the differences stem from race, sexuality, or disability, those in the majority
tend to ostracize certain groups due to their inability or unwillingness to relate to them. It’s
important to note that oftentimes individuals in the majority don’t realize they’re contributing to
the discrimination. Rather, they’re just following what they’ve been brought up to believe. After
all, how can we expect those who’ve never experienced bias to understand how to identify it
and its effects? Only once we include those with different backgrounds and experiences are we
as a community capable of identifying society’s problems and their sources.
Although this kind of unintentional discrimination is present in all areas of diversity, I’m
most knowledgeable in the area of disability and wish to display my point through my family’s
own experiences. When my nephew was born with a disability, the doctors told my sister all the
things he may never be able to do normally, such as walking, talking, or reading. Before the end
of his first day on Earth, others were already dictating his limits for the rest of his life. I
remember holding my newborn nephew in my unsteady arms, worrying that I might drop the
smallest human I’d ever seen. Although he was tiny, he still seemed like a normal baby to me:
fragile, pink, and loud. I could tell my sister and her husband saw him in the same way; as a
normal child, deserving of all the opportunities any other human could experience. And so for
the next thirteen years, they would do all they could to ensure he would reach his full potential,
my sister homeschooling him along the way so he could learn at the speed that worked best for
him.
If you met my nephew today, he would seem like the average thirteen-year old boy:
energetic, obnoxious, and still loud. He goes to a typical middle school, is a star student in each
of his classes, and currently has two girls fighting over him. But what stands out to me is that he
is one of the kindest and most hard working boys I have ever met. I could say that he is just like
everyone else, but that would be a lie- he is so much more. I am grateful every day for my sister
and her husband, who were not willing to go along with the common belief that there is little
hope for unique children to fit in with society. Because of their efforts, my nephew has been able
to reach his full potential and to love himself for who he is.
My nephew’s experiences have also changed the way I view those deemed “different”
from me. He’s shown me that everyone has the same potential for greatness, but some just
need a little help along the way. I don’t hold it against those who do not share this opinion, for I
understand that not everyone has been personally touched by disability. Instead, I see it as my
responsibility as a member of the majority to speak up for those in the minority. By encouraging
conversations with others, I am able to influence predominant perspectives and beliefs, and
bring our society one step closer to an equitable community.