"Um, you're not allowed to park here."
Actually, yes I am.
"Excuse me, did you know you're parked in a handicap spot?"
No, I put this handicap placard on my mirror just for fun.
"You don't look handicapped..."
Well, the state of Massachusetts says otherwise!
I'm 20 years old, and yes, I am allowed to park in this handicap parking spot. Yes, this handicap placard is mine, and yes, I am in fact disabled enough to qualify for this placard.
When I first brought my application to my orthopedic surgeon to put in a request for a handicap placard at just 19 years old, my worst fear was having him laugh in my face, telling me I didn't qualify. When he happily took the form and said he had no reason to believe I'd be denied, I was ecstatic.
And then I remembered the horror stories. Back in 2015, a story hit the news of a police officer of all people berating an invisibly disabled (the term used for a non-obvious disability) Veteran for not looking handicapped enough. All I could think about while I waited to hear back about my application was that, if a veteran could be on the receiving end of an attack like this for not looking handicapped enough, how would a 19 year old osteoarthritis suffering girl look getting out of her car in a handicap spot?
It wasn't long after my application was approved that I received my first comment walking into a grocery store.
"Hey kiddo, whose handicap card are you using?"
Right, because every single younger person is using their grandfather's placard to score a sweet parking spot when there's a non handicap spot two feet away.
When I responded with a simple "mine," I was met with a disapproving look and a head shake. I spent my entire shopping trip worrying that I'd have a police officer waiting for me when I returned to my car.
Every single time I pull into a handicap spot, I check out who's around me and see if there are any others with handicap placards within eye sight. If there are, chances are I'll have a rude comment made to me. All I can do is place my handicap placard in a painfully obvious spot and hope for the best.
Next time you question if someone is allowed to park there, remember that there are more invisible disabilities than you probably realize. It's not right to have to worry about being harrased every single time you park.
