Yes, very true, and an excellent point. Without changes in the attitude of society, a person with a disability could have all kinds of medical and technological help but still be shut out of the opportunities they deserve.

And I think that the way people with disabilities are portrayed in fiction plays into that -- because those portrayals can and do have an influence on the way people think about disability (and whether they give thought to it at all). I just found out yesterday, for instance, that the Tourette's Syndrome-themed episode of Quincy, M.E. that I remember so vividly from my childhood made a significant difference in the passing of the Orphan Drugs Act. Narratives are powerful.

Thanks for coming by to comment and share your perspective and experiences.