It’s the apocalypse! The outside world is a wasteland populated by deadly zombies trying to eat your brains. You have ten minutes to let five more people into your bunker, but the only things you know about them are the traits listed in two sentence descriptions. These include, but are not limited to, race, sexuality, gender, disability, criminal record, and occupation.
Arguing for your right to live, exist, get medical care etc., is a fundamental part of the disabled experience. For me, my most notable experience was at a college/dual enrollment leadership seminar in which one of our workshops was a survivor simulation.
Once you pick your five people, you argue to the rest of your peers as to why your picks deserve a spot over theirs. As a physically disabled person, I was under the assumption that the bunker would be accessible. How else would I stay in it? I picked the wheelchair using homemaker, the lesbian professor, the blind biochemist, the HIV+ physician, and the trans psychologist. In the end, I managed to argue for the last three to stay in the bunker with my group.
During this discussion, my group immediately crossed out the first five candidates because they had some sort of disability. I argued that I was in the bunker and that if I, a disabled person, were staying in the bunker, why not have a few more? You already let me in. Their retort was, “But we didn’t choose you.”
But we didn’t choose you.
I know I’m not your top choice. I have baggage, flaws, and biases like everyone. I also have cool cripple skills you haven’t considered. I know how to pop a joint back into place, wrap and tape a sprain, create a schedule to avoid burnout, and teach a myriad of coping skills. This activity was designed to reveal and challenge biases, so look at yours, and consider the skills and talents you’re missing out on.
No one should have to argue for their right to live. People do get picked for different groups in life. Whether it be a sporting event or a group project, look beyond the immediate traits you see in a person. Think about the skills they’ve gained from life that may not be clear at first glance. Everyone deserves a seat at the table, a spot in the bunker.
