Over 2000 years ago, in the city state of Athens, people with disabilities had similar opportunities to able bodied individuals. Many politicians and powerful individuals had physical or mental impairments, and the Athenians made sure people with physical impairments were a protected class in society. They constructed the agora (marketplace) with accessibility measures in mind. They also prayed to the God of craftsmen, Hephaestus, who had stunted legs and severe scoliosis.
In ancient India, individuals prayed to Gods with physical abnormalities, such one's with three arms and more than one head. Naturally, they were more accepting towards people with physical disabilities, because the God's they worshipped were differently abled as well.

Fast forward to 2000 years later, in 1942. The Nazi's systematically eradicated 300,000 people with disabilities in Europe throughout their reign of terror. They misled families, saying that they were bringing these individuals better care. In actuality, the took them to killing centers where they were starved, gassed, or given a lethal injection. The Nazi's also forcefully sterilized hundreds of thousands of people with less severe disabilites. Today, people with disabilities are still arguably worse off than they were 2000 years ago. Accessibility measures are not as commonplace as they were in ancient Greece, and people with disabilities are not as socially acceptable as they were in ancient India. Why does it seem like we as a society are regressing in terms of including people with disabilities?
One of the reasons why people with physical disabilities were more acceptable 2000 years ago was because of the frequent wars and accidents that occurred. Spears, swords, and chariot pikes that were used in the Peloponesian war in Ancient Greece could have easily cleaved off limbs. Almost every man in a city would be conscripted in the army to fight for their city state, meaning that physical injury and disability was common. Society had to adapt to make sure thousands of disabled men coming home from war would have a place in society, so naturally people with neurological disabilities impairments benefited from the new accessibility measures.
Today, new medical interventions and technology make it less likely for individuals to lose a limb because of an accident or in war. Disability today is not viewed as something powerful war heroes have. Instead, it is viewed as a lower form of existence, and is looked down upon. However, people with neurological disabilities have many things in common with the great heroes of the past. We have overcome so much, and are the new heroes fighting the battle for inclusion and equal rights. We as a society need to reflect on the ancient civilizations of the past and make the space around us more accomodating to our heroes - people with disabilities, just like Greece and India did 2000 years ago.
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