In support of World Down Syndrome Day, Olivia Wilde starred in the short video How Do You See Me? In the video, she is living a seemingly full life. She is running, playing on the beach, and enjoys time with her friends and family. All the while, the narration of the video is done by AnnaRose, a 19 year old woman with Down syndrome. AnnaRose is revealed at the end of the video to demonstrate that people with Down syndrome want to be seen as anybody else.
While this message seems to be uplifting and change-provoking, many people have a problem with it, and I agree. This video seems to me to almost further discrimination. Why did AnnaRose have to be portrayed by Olivia Wilde? Why couldn't see have portrayed herself as living a fulfilling life? Was the point of the video not to show that she lived a full life with Down syndrome?
I feel like the problem with the video is the same problem with being "color blind" , treating men and woman as not being different, and ignoring different ethnicities and cultures. As human beings it is very obvious that we have many differences, racially, culturally, and sexually, and that's ok. For whatever reason, however, we are so incapable of being accepting of these differences that we need to ignore whatever is "bad" or different, and convince ourselves that everyone is just like us. However, that is such a harmful view of our fellow people. Why do we need to see AnnaRose as being "normal" (without Down syndrome)? Why can't we see her the way she is? A young woman who enjoys running, playing on the beach, loves her friends and family, and has Down syndrome. This video subtly tells us that we need to ignore an aspect of AnneRose in order to be ok with her. We need to celebrate her. We need to celebrate all people with Down syndrome, not because they are "technically just like us", but because they are people who live with a disability. A disability that is so much apart of them and their identity. Who are we to tell them that something about them is wrong? Especially something they have absolutely no control over.
Other examples of this include being "color blind". Why must we ignore other races, and just pretend they are the same race as us? Why can't we acknowledge that someone is Asian, Hispanic, Black, Indian, Native American, White, or anything else? Why must we ignore a part of someone that makes up such a large part of their identity, so we can be more comfortable talking to them?
In this Easter season I encourage you to actively try to catch yourself in the act of ignoring aspects of people that you encounter. We all do it on occasion, and that is ok, but it becomes a problem when you are aware of it and ignore that you do it. So take the time to look and learn about the people you encounter. What makes them different? Notice that when you see their differences, you begin to see what makes them so awesome. Don't treat others' differences as dibilitating, but as another way for you to celebrate an individual's life.
