Discrimination

I spent a great deal of time with people that share a common fight with me.  While, I wish we were meeting for a convention about scrap-booking, computer science, ANYTHING BUT diabetes. Sadly, it was a real eye opening experience as we all gathered because we have diabetes. I learned that diabetes itself does not discriminate.  Diabetes is not for women only, the old, the obese, the Caucasian, the rich nor the poor. Diabetes can happen to anyone.

Ashley (Australia) speaking about discrimination, support and
the YLD in the Federation Square Event, Melbourne, AUS. 

If you were to have walked in my shoes in Australia, you would have seen the faces of people living with diabetes. No face alike, not all languages the same and not every ones story fair.  I learned a lot that while diabetes does no discriminate, others do.  I spoke with quite a few people living in various countries around the world, from as far as the Middle East to as close as the United States.   Almost everyone had a story of discrimination due to their diabetes. Some more violent and disheartening than others, but all terribly tragic.

There is an extreme lack of knowledge in some parts of countries. I was told in Rural Bangladesh, people are still in the belief system that a curse was given to their children with diabetes and rituals are done.  To me, I was shocked, these were thoughts I was learning in my History class that happened during the time of plagues and the outbreak of Leprosy.  I had no idea that this was happening now.  Other stories of 'cures' being given, deadly cures not something as simple as cinnamon that we all commonly hear about and ignore.

Others had stories of not being able to attend post secondary, not finding a partner, not being accepted by family members, partners family members or other people in the community.  It was hard to put myself in the shoes of people from others parts of the world knowing that their diabetes is so much more of an obstacle than mine - or at least it appears that way.