Many people in my life know this, and I have discussed this in previous articles, but I'm dyslexic. I can hear a bunch of people's voices in my head now saying sarcastically, "Wait, what? You're dyslexic. Wow never knew that." That's fair. I do say it a lot. As many times as I tell people, it is something that people usually do not understand. So, here are some things I know people with Dyslexia want you to know.
1. It's not always that the letters flip around.
The most common explanation of Dyslexia is that it's just "flipping your b's and d's." While that is how it presents for some, it is not always the case. Research has shown that dyslexics have difficulties at the phoneme level (which is the translation of sounds to symbols)
2. It affects much more than just reading.
Personally, my dyslexia is noticeable in my spelling, reading, motor control, writing, listening, and even speaking. My speech impediment and terrible hearing (meaning someone will say one thing and I will hear something that starts with the same letter but is completely different). I have is directly related to dyslexia, something I only found out a year and a half ago.
3. Not all people with Dyslexia have issues in "certain subjects."
Some people who have dyslexia are amazing at Math, some science, some English, and some history. It's just like anything else, nobody is the same, even if they have the same learning disability. My sister, for example, is amazing a math. Myself, I'm a history person and can rattle off dates of historical events without batting an eye. Both my sister and I were in honors English in high school.
4. Our brains work differently, that's all
Dyslexia affects the brain, it makes us think differently and work a little harder on certain things, while other things come easily to us. It all depends again, on the person. But overall, it is just us thinking differently. It does not make anyone with dyslexia less than a person without it.
5. Some dyslexics have a passion for writing- they have strategies for working with their dyslexia and usually have some edit their work.
F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of "The Great Gatsby," was dyslexic. His work is read by students in high school and people throughout the world. Just because a person is dyslexic it doesn't mean that they cannot be a successful writer.
6. We deal with ignorance all the time- and it get's pretty annoying.
In high school, I had teachers tell me I couldn't achieve because I am dyslexic, that I shouldn't be allowed in honor classes, make jokes about how dumb dyslexic people are, then say to my face "It's OK, I have dyslexic friends". I had peers say, "You just use that as an excuse for your bad grammar," "but you're so smart, how are you dyslexic," and many many more things that either put down who I am because I have this "learning disability" or try to make me feel better by being plain ignorant. We get bullied for getting taken out of the classroom for tests, for getting accommodations, for not being able to read outlaid, for things out of our control. And it sucks, it's annoying, and most times people do not tell others they are dyslexia. But it also makes us stronger, more powerful, willful; and helps push us to be better and educate more.
7. We are not stupid.
We are smart, strong, talented, resilient, and hard working. We think differently. We work hard to compensate sometimes. But, we are not stupid. It does not affect our IQ, if anything, I argue it makes us smarter. We bring new ideas to the table. We are successful. And hell, look above at this picture of all those famous with dyslexia. It is not something that hurts us and prevents us from being something. It makes us who we are.
I don't hide the fact I'm dyslexic. I never have, nor will I ever try to hide that fact. It makes me who I am. It gives me so many strengths. But, I won't lie, it makes me angry that I can't do all the things I want to. I can't write the way I wish, speak normally sometimes, hear things people say correctly, it is frustration once in a while. But, without it, I wouldn't me. I talk about it and say things like, "sorry, dyslexic mistake" not to be "annoying", but to educate those around me.
I'm dyslexic, I'm a double major college senior with above a 3.5 GPA, I am hardworking, I am a student leader, I am proud of who I am and what makes me, me.
