When Life Gives You Both Lemons and Karelas: Being a Disabled Woman in India
We all remember our paros ki shaadi for two things: the free food and the random relatives asking blood-boiling questions like, "Beta, shaadi kab karogi? Kisse karogi?" Annoying, right?
Now imagine something even more painful. Instead of asking when you'll get married, someone casually says, "Batao zara, isse kaun hi shaadi karega?" Sadly, this is not an uncommon experience for many disabled women in India. These remarks are not just disrespectful—they reflect a much deeper social prejudice.
A common question often asked is: What is more challenging in India—being a woman or being a person with a disability? The answer for many is simple: being both. Especially in a country where support systems and accessible infrastructure remain limited.
For many disabled people in India, even accessing basic education is a struggle. Schools often lack ramps, elevators, and disability-friendly washrooms. For a young girl with a disability, inaccessible washrooms can make attending school during menstruation extremely difficult. Such infrastructural barriers force many girls to leave school long before they should.
These accessibility issues extend far beyond schools. Dug-up roads, missing pavements, and bollards blocking sidewalks make everyday mobility difficult and unsafe. Public infrastructure frequently fails to meet accessibility needs. Even today, many visually impaired individuals face injuries at bus stops and metro stations due to poor design. Government offices often require people with disabilities to climb stairs or navigate inaccessible buildings while completing essential paperwork.
The challenges continue in employment. Disabled women frequently experience a double disadvantage because of both gender and disability. Many employers wrongly assume they will be less productive or difficult to accommodate, leading to fewer employment opportunities and lower workforce participation. As a result, many disabled women remain financially dependent on their families despite having the skills and willingness to work.
Marriage presents another layer of discrimination. Disabled women are often viewed as a "burden," leading to higher dowry demands and social stigma. Because of these attitudes, some families hesitate to invest in their daughters' education and instead prioritize marrying them off at an early age. In some cases, this pressure contributes to child marriage, depriving girls with disabilities of education, independence, and the opportunity to shape their own futures.
When life gives someone both lemons and karelas, society should not become the third bitter ingredient. Disabled women do not need sympathy. They need accessible infrastructure, equal opportunities, dignity, and a society that stops making their lives harder than they already are.
https://citizenmatters.in/safety-still-out-of-reach-everyday-struggles-of-women-with-disabilities/
