In a widely shared Facebook video from 2019, mom Tasha Nelson discusses her family’s struggle to cover the sky-high costs of prescription drugs and other medical care required for her 10-year-old son Jack, who has cystic fibrosis.
At the time, she was very pregnant with another child, which prompted someone to privately, venomously post a response. Who, the hateful messenger asked, dared to have another baby, given that she already had a child with disabilities? How disgusting is that?
“It often makes me feel as though the public at large would like families with disabilities to live out of sight and remain out of mind,” the Manassas, Va. mother said. “That is not something we are willing to do. Families with disabilities exist; we are fabulous and wonderful people that deserve to take up the same space as our typical peers.”
Nelson has read enough bullying social media posts targeting disabled people that she is hyper-cautious about ensuring that Jack doesn’t find his way to those sites. At least, not until he is old and resilient enough to endure that damage of hatred that may be directed at him on social media.
Research: Risks of depression and suicidal thoughts were higher for disabled students
A 2019 survey of 20,000 youth, “The Ruderman White Paper on Social Media, Cyberbullying, and Mental Health: A Comparison of Adolescents With and Without Disabilities,” concluded that almost 30% of students with disabilities experienced cyberbullying as a victim, perpetrator, or...
Read Full Story: https://youthtoday.org/2021/09/as-a-buffer-against-social-media-bullies-the-disabled-and-their-parents-add-their-fact-focused-voices-to-those-platforms/
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