reply to John week 4

John,
I can relate to your mother and your grandmother in this story very well. I am not elderly but I am in a wheelchair because I cannot walk, so I experience this exact reaction from people quite often. Just because people see that someone is elderly or disabled, the stereotypical reaction is that we are not with it or capable of taking care of ourselves or communicating with others. Many times if I am with someone else, just like your grandmother and mother, people will flat out ignore me like I am not even there and start talking to my friend to find out about me. It is irritating because I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, just like your grandmother. My friends usually get pissed off and are like " shes right in front of your face..why don't you ask her yourself?" Then they get all baffled and feel stupid..and im sorry but sometimes they should feel stupid because it is not right to treat people like that based on a stupid stereotype. We are all invidivuals and should not be clumped into some dumb assumption. Good for your mom and your grandmom for sticking up for themselves. Im glad you grandmother is healthy and well!