People with special needs have a much tougher time fitting in and usually are looked down on in public places. They may be louder, less social or have difficulties paying attention. However, it doesn’t really matter what others think, as according to this research, 99% with Down syndrome indicated that they are happy with their lives.
And moreover, they are positive and not less worthy than every one of us, thus being rude or bullying people with disabilities is one of the worst things humans can do.
More info: Reddit
Yelling at a person with special needs because he is being too loud will not give you any karma points - more likely karma will pay you a visit
Image credits: Max Rahubovskiy (not the actual photo)
Guy shares his revenge story after entitled lady yelled at a person with special needs for disturbing her in the gym
Image credits: dadudemon
Image credits: Julia Larson (not the actual photo)
He shares that this person is kind and positive, but can be loud when he is working out, though as everybody is wearing headphones, he doesn’t disturb anyone
Image credits: dadudemon
Image credits: Tara Angkor Hotel (not the actual photo)
One time, a lady and her training group had been working out near him and after some time, one of them came over and started yelling at him to keep it down
Image credits: dadudemon
After seeing this, the author and his workout buddy decided to teach the angry woman a lesson and went to work out near her, making loud grunting noises
Recently a guy shared his revenge, or more specifically - ‘trolling’ story after an angry woman yelled at a guy named Michael who has Down syndrome in the gym for being too loud. Folks loved the story and in just 5 days it got almost 13.5K upvotes and 885 comments.
The author starts the introduction with Michael, who has Down syndrome and goes to the gym with his father 4 days a week. He is very kind and positive, always encouraging and complimenting people who are working out. In conclusion, he is a really good person. When he is working out, he makes loud noises, but most of the other gym goers, being mature people, mind their own business and concentrate on their own workout.
However, it turns out that not everybody manages to do that. A group of women were training near Michael, who was working out and getting very loud. Then one angry woman got annoyed and approached him, yelling at him to keep it down. This happened one more time and OP and his workout buddy decided that was time to teach her a lesson - they went to the area near these entitled women and started doing an ab workout with really loud grunting.
This time the women didn’t say anything to the guys, but they had a lot of fun. Redditors enjoyed that the women received payback and wished there were more people as kind as Michael. “Michael sounds like a sweetheart,” one user wrote. “Tell Michael he is now an internet hero,” another one added. OP added that probably the ladies were trying to record workout videos and he kept ruining them, which made folks even more furious about the women's behavior.
Image credits: keith ellwood (not the actual photo)
Bored Panda contacted Victoria Baynton-Williams, who is a mother of a beautiful girl who has Down syndrome. She kindly agreed to share her insights about the biggest misconceptions about Down syndrome, dealing with rude people and how society can be more empathetic.
To begin with, Victoria shares that the best way to encourage society to have an accepting attitude towards people with disabilities is to be inclusive. “We are all accepting of what we know/experience from a young age, so ensuring typical children have positive encounters with disabled children or adults and not making disability something scary or ‘other’.
She adds that in the UK, they have a great kids’ channel that does an amazing job - CBeebies. They had a presenter with only one hand, currently there is a presenter with Down syndrome, and children with different disabilities are also included in their TV shows. “This was also a contributing factor to us choosing a mainstream school for our daughter, not only does she get to learn with typical peers but they get to learn with her!” the woman emphasizes.
Speaking about the biggest misconceptions about children with Down syndrome, Victoria says that people expect them to be very happy and full of cuddles or stubborn and difficult. “My daughter has taught me she is all of those things. She can be incredibly thoughtful and kind, she can also do very silly things with no thought at all!” Victoria says that she has many layers just like anyone else!
And finally, “when advocating for my child in public, I’m just open and honest about her needs. I’d just ask people to be patient and understanding,” Victoria emphasizes. So, folks, be kind to every person and patient with everybody- doesn’t matter if they have disabilities or are different from you - everybody is human and deserves the same kindness.
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
Moreover, Bored Panda got in touch with Dan Vosnos, Director of Advocacy and Development at GiGi’s Playhouse. They share that their mission is, “To see a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted and embraced in their families, schools, and communities.” They have 58 Playhouse locations across the United States and Mexico. Through their Virtual Playhouse, they serve families in 86 countries as well!
Dan shares that GiGi’s Playhouse's main goal is to shift perceptions and show the world what individuals with Down syndrome can accomplish. “At GiGi’s Playhouse, we encourage everyone to act by making a conscious decision to be better every day. We hope to end bullying and prejudice through our ongoing actions. We need the world to understand better that they are so much more than a diagnosis.”
Speaking about the biggest misconceptions, he says that for a person with Down syndrome, the greatest misconceptions are driven by low expectations. When Down syndrome students are taught by qualified instructors who have high expectations for their pupils, they can learn to read and write.
“Another misconception is that adults with an extra chromosome cannot work or contribute to society. More opportunities exist today for education and employment than ever before,” Dan emphasizes. At GiGi’s Playhouse, one of the most successful programs is GiGi University, an innovative program for adults. It assists adults in realizing their full potential, which paves the way for productive employment in society.
“Additionally, individuals with Down syndrome are born with low tone in every muscle in their body. A common misconception is that they will not be able to crawl, walk, jump, or become physically active.” Dan explains that the GiGiFIT program aims to assist people in overcoming these obstacles. It is especially made to help people with Down syndrome increase all aspects of their fitness, including joint stability, movement control, strength, and endurance.
Finally, check out GiGi’s Playhouse's website, GiGi’s Playhouse's commitment to bringing Disability DEI to the workplace and #GenerationG - a worldwide movement that goes beyond Down syndrome and sends a global message of acceptance for all.
People shared their good memories of people who have DS and showed love to Michael
