Supporting Aliens with Disabilities

We live in a very complex environment where change is the norm, identities are multifactored and belonging is in short supply. I want to lock in on one particular idea in this glorious mess of life. How do you actually support individuals with disabilities? What should an ally do? I see multiple times this idea of the "right" way to do things and it's perplexed me that people often talk about engaging with people with disabilities like they are engaging with aliens. I don't know who needs to hear this but just to be clear, Individuals with disabilities are not aliens.

But as I was moving this idea around in my mind, I started to kind of see where people were coming from. If an alien did come to earth, they wouldn't look like a human and therefor have different biology. They may not breath oxygen. They may not have the same idea of ability or productiveness as us. They may not even pick up on facial cues because they may not have a face. They may not be able to get through a doorway or even upstairs. Seeing individuals with disability through this framing you begin to see how much of the things to we take for granted as "nature" or "normative". We would logically if any alien were live among earthlings have to make some very large adjustments just for them to be able to do basic things like go for a walk or engage with society. And it would probably very expensive and have to work with them to understand their needs. Afterall if you're not an alien, how can you know. It's not like there is much research into alien needs. But I believe society would engage with them because of how much fascination the world has with the outer space and because of what more we could learn about the universe at large. What type of culture do they have? What does their home world look like? What technology have they created that are different from ours because they have had to adapt differently for us? What is similar or different between us? I think many people would be so excited to just to study and learn.

But that's one of the biggest differences I believe between individuals with disabilities and aliens. Aliens are inherently fascinating and (for most people outside of community) individuals with disabilities are not. Not many would care about a human that can't get downstairs or engage with society. They have their own culture (multiple actually) they have to navigate a world that wasn't built for them. A world some people of my community have called "alien" to them. The chance for advancement and study is still there but we don't care because their human. We think that we know how we feel or don't have to really ask them after all there no aliens. It's this weird in between area where individuals are seen as human enough so there not something that is completely out of comprehension but portrayed like "the other" devoid of the ability to make their own choices or know what is in their best interest. From my perspective it ranges from people being seen as children to animal. The best way in my opinion to support an alien or individual with disability is by recognising difference but not seeing it as contingent for personhood.

If we can comprehend giving an alien dignity, respect and consider reasonable adjustments then I think we should comprehend it for a human.

*Side note: also notice that throughout this article I start with the terminology of "individuals with disability" but as then using terminology as "human" and "individuals" you both understand what I was talking about, but I didn't us terminology such as "them" or "they" like individuals are science rats. Except when I clearly demonstrate things are from the perspective of people in community. "They have their own culture (multiple actually) they have to navigate a world that wasn't built for them." - This is an experience I hear over and over from people with disabilities and individuals will identity with this and the terminology is intentional to build that feeling of "otherness" that is baked into the experiences that is being talked about. Compare that to:

"We see with those individuals with disability significant types of culture that are truly unique. They also report significant feelings of being an "alien" in a world of which they don't understand. This is something we see across most marginalised groups."

The second one makes my skin crawl and feels like I am not a human but a rat. There is objective and then there is inhuman but that a whole bigger issue with scientific discourse in general.

Inclusion to me in being expected to be in the room not people being surprised I am there. I expect all types of people to engage with this article in community and out of community. Look also we know language has been complex for hundreds of years ask a linguist, they will probably give you an essay. I do though not expect any aliens to read this article.

**Image is AI