People are not disabled, they are differently-abled: Muniba Mazari

Artist, activist and United Nations (UN) Ambassador Muniba Mazari was the guest in the latest episode of UN Women's Hand over the mic. During the session held over Instagram, Mazari talked about how everyone deserves to be loved irrespective of what circumstances they come from.

Answering a question related to her activism Mazari said, " I believe every individual on this planet Earth, be it a girl or a boy, a man or a woman, a transgender, an abled body person or a differently-abled person, we all deserve to be loved and accepted for who we are without any discrimination. This is what my activism is all about," she said.

Talking about how she feels about the International day of disabled persons, Mazari pointed out her reservations with the term itself. "In my dictionary, there is no such thing as a disability. People are not disabled, they are differently-abled. I really wish to celebrate the International day of people with different abilities next year. Let's change the narrative," she said. " When you put the word dis with someone's abilities you are unknowingly questioning their abilities."

Sharing her experience, Mazari talked about how while she was bedridden, she was repeatedly told by people around her that by some 'miracle' she will start walking again. " I had started to believe it that maybe one day I will be 'me' again. Now I realise I was treated as a patient instead of a human being who was still alive. Who was unsure of herself. Then when I sat on the wheelchair for the first time, I realised that you know what, with all the pain physical and emotional, here I am still breathing. I am the miracle myself. I am not going to wait for a miracle. I am not a patient anymore," she said.

 Mazari discussed how being treated as someone special by another extreme takes a different kind of toll. " Then I witnessed another extreme. I have seen people saying 'oh please pray for us because you are in the wheelchair and God really loves you'. They put you on a pedestal where you are a superhuman. Where you cannot dare to make mistakes. You cannot feel vulnerable. Where you are an epitome of grace and inspiration 24/7. That really wears you down," she said. 

Adding on she said, "There has to be a middle ground for all differently able people. We too are humans. We don't feel inspirational all the time. So give us that margin of being humans."

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