Strange trends emerge all the time, especially since the rise of the internet. One such trend is “transableism”, a phenomenon where people identify as disabled and seek to change their bodies to reflect that identity.
It’s Highly Concerning
At first, it’s easy to laugh off transabled people, who often ask doctors to amputate limbs, blind them, and snip their spinal cords. Moreover, some transabled people attempt to do these things to themselves on their own. With all things considered, it’s clear that these individuals are unwell and need mental health support.
Perhaps They Want Attention
Speaking to Fox News, a 24-year-old college student from North Carolina called transableism a “cry for attention.” He said: “It’s offensive to people who actually suffer from the condition that you say you need in order to be your true self.”
Mental Health Concerns
The student went on to discuss the mental health of transabled individuals. He said: “It’s embarrassing and I don’t know if you can be considered a serious human being if you alter your body like this instead of getting the appropriate mental help you need.”
Using a Wheelchair
Jørund Viktoria Alme, a senior credit analyst in Norway, identifies as able-bodied and uses a wheelchair despite not needing it. Alme, who also happens to be transgender, said she always wished she was born “a woman paralyzed from the waist down.”
A Wannabee-Blind Woman
Alme isn’t the only transabled person whose story made its way to the internet. A 21-year-old woman from North Carolina identifies as blind. Shockingly, the woman actually attempted to impair her sight in order to feel more comfortable in her body.
A “Delusional Disorder”
Jane Orient, a general internist and executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, said that transabled persons suffer from a delusional disorder.” It’s worth noting that Orient also claimed transgender people are “delusional”, despite modern scientific research largely backing their existence. Addressing the doctors transabled people are pleading to, Orient said: “The Oath of Hippocrates adjures physicians to do no harm. Mutilating the body is an objective harm even if it makes the patient subjectively feel better.”
Is It Munchausen Syndrome?
According to Cleveland Clinic, Munchausen syndrome “is when someone tries to get attention and sympathy by falsifying, inducing, and/or exaggerating an illness. They lie about symptoms, sabotage medical tests (like putting blood in their urine), or harm themselves to get the symptoms. Diagnosing and treating Munchausen syndrome is difficult because of the person’s dishonesty.” Given the definition, there’s definitely a possibility that transabled individuals could fall into such a group.
Redditors Discussed and Debated Transableism
Transableism is becoming more and more well-known and, as such, has been discussed across social media. One Redditor wrote: “As far as I’m concerned, anyone who is blind belongs in the blind community, even if you got there by self-injury. At that point, you’re in the same boat as the rest of us. We should, however, absolutely not be encouraging [this]. We should be encouraging those people to get the mental health support they need so they can live happily without causing themselves irrevocable harm.”
Others Discussed Dysphoria
Dysphoria is the deep discomfort one feels when their body doesn’t match their image of it. It’s mostly associated with transgender people. One Redditor wrote: “Disability can come about from self-harm but, in this context, the dysphoria that prompts people to harm themselves should absolutely be treated as a serious mental illness that needs treatment. Dysphoria, fundamentally, is a disconnect between the real body and the perceived body. This clearly should be treated with care and the people who suffer with it should be treated with compassion befitting someone struggling with an illness.”
Transabled and Transgender – Not the Same
Some Redditors tried to explain why being transabled is different from being transgender. “Let’s not bring transgender people into this. Gender is a social construct. Being blind is a physical thing. Sure, scientifically the dysphoria might be a similar concept. But the reason transabled people are mentally ill, while transgender people aren’t, is that gender is a social contract and the surgeries some transgender people get improve their quality of life. The surgeries transabled people want will destroy their quality of life.”
Some Transgender People Gave Their Thoughts
Transgender Redditors gave their thoughts. One person wrote: “I never really understood why they want to put themselves through all that but, then again, some people look at me the same way for being transgender and wanting to cut off and change certain body parts. However, I do feel for those people and I really hope that more people that suffer from it can get the help they need.”
Some Redditors Were Disgusted
Some Redditors were appalled by the situation. One person wrote: “I am absolutely disgusted by this. Clearly, the people who feel the need to do this are suffering a mental health crisis and it’s a shame they’re not getting the help they need. I think the chances are extremely low that one would make themselves irreversibly blind and then live the rest of their life without relying on services meant for us, those born blind and those who lost sight later in life.”
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