Another disabled person not overly keen on the term 'the disabled'. Prefer people with disabilities, or people with whatever the disability is. It doesn't bother me as much as 'handicapped' or 'crippled' though. It annoys me more when being used by DM posters 'oh the disabled think they can have their cake and eat it, why should they get benefits just for being disabled' type comments.
Just because I think people forget how varied disabilities are.
My ex had Aspergers, his needs were different from mine as a person with Dyspraxia, my friend with Dyslexia again has different needs. My needs as a person with Dyspraxia are to different to my needs as a person with Fibromyalgia. Some of those needs overlap such as the need for regular breaks, some clash - as someone with Dyspraxia I need to be able to write things down to remember them, to do lists etc. I need written instructions when I have a job. As someone who has Fibromyalgia I struggle to write these down because of the pain in my finger joints, I have some hypermobility in my fingers which increases my Dyspraxia related difficulties with holding a pen and writing. I need time to take my meds with Fibro, Dyspraxia doesn't require medication.
I recently did an assessment centre for a training placement for people with disabilities, the people who had Autsim there had different needs to those with Cerebral Palsy, who had different needs to those with Downs Syndrome. It was great being there though, was so nice to meet other people my age with disabilities (went to mainstream school, have a few friends with learning difficulties like me but not in my main group). I didn't have to pretend to be NT :)