July 29 2021 Superheroes with Disabilities Skip to main content

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Just because you have a disability does not mean you can't be a superhero. Throughout history our superheroes have had great abilities and disabilities.  Superman can leap tall buildings with a single bound, go faster than a speeding bullet, fly quick enough to turn back time, but a tiny chunk of rock leaves him weak and barely able to walk let alone fly. This demonstrates that we are all vulnerable and have a disability of some sort. 

Wonder Woman also uses technology in her fight against crime. Her invisible plane, lasso of truth and other devices make her invincible.  The six million dollar woman and man were all about the technology that gave them better sight, hearing, strength and incredible speed. All these fictional heroes and so many more still had vulnerabilities that the villains used against them to no avail. They got out of each cliffhanger using ingenuity, special skills and their technology. There are many kinds of heroes besides those with physical strength, speed or fighting prowess. Some are brave, daring,  intellectual or inventive. So let's talk about Real life superheroes. When Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press, Henry Ford introduced the Model A automobile, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, Neil Armstrong stepped on to the moon, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs invented the first personal computers; they all did so on the foundation of developing technology.  All these heroes have one other thing supporting their efforts. They are on the right side of the law, history and truth. They all believe in freedom and justice FOR ALL. 

People with disabilities have our super heroes as well. They have fought injustice in very real ways through protests, legislation and legal actions. They all have used the developing fields of technology to support their efforts. We all know the leaders, but there are many more who toil in anonymity. They are advocates and people who go to work every day overcoming the challenges of disability to do a real job and earn real wages. They also earn respect for all of us. Let us not forget that until recently the admittedly smartest person on the planet was a person with a significant disability. Professor Stephen Hawking. Now comes a new wave of super heroes with disabilities. They are younger and smarter with truly fantastic technologies at their command. They are overcoming limitations and disabilities through the cutting edge of medical knowledge. They are accepted by their peers without reservation. They come from all THE minority groups you can imagine. They see a world of limitless possibilities and do not accept injustice anywhere. They will fill the ranks of all professions and walks of life doing their work like all super heroes, with dedication, humility and intent focused on justice. They stand on the shoulders of the civil rights giants that have come before ready to push aside barriers through intellect, ingenuity and the technologies that many of them will invent. We should all take a look at this growing cohort of super heroes, who by the way do not see themselves as disabled. That is old school labeling. They do and think about things differently. That is why they will win.