Without Pity Summary

I enjoyed the video that was shown to us in class titled Without Pity. The video taught me that one out of five people in the United States of America suffers from a disability. I also discovered that seventy percent of people who are disabled are unemployed and live in poverty for most of their lives, which astonished me. The video Without Pity opened my eyes in more ways than one with its stories and useful facts.
The video opens with a young woman who has cerebral palsy. Her condition creates many challenges for both herself and her family. Though she must endure many trials, she continues to defy all odds. The young woman breaks free of stereotypes of people with cerebral palsy and others with disabilities alike. She may not be able to speak clearly or walk, but she rode down her own wedding isle and repeated vows to her groom.
The young woman did not stop her life goals right then and there. She
continued her education and I believe she earned a degree in communications. As a child, she played and participated in the same activities her sisters and cousins did. She enjoys horse-back riding very much. Some may think that people with cerebral palsy may not be able to have children, but this woman had a healthy and perfect baby girl. She is able to stay home with her child. If she needs help with her baby, housework, or grocery shopping, she calls her husband’s beeper to notify him while he is away.
I feel very positive that people with significant physical disabilities have the ability to find love, become married, and start their own families.
I respect their decisions about their personal life. I think that each person may have different views about having children, and must make the decision for themselves whether or not to try to bring a child into the world, knowing that their life will be affected by a disability. Cerebral palsy is not a disability that can be passed on genetically or through infection, it is simply a birth defect that may happen to any newborn, whether the pregnant mother has a disability or not. Bringing a child into the world allows a person to experience joy and love, and I do not think anyone but the person who is disabled should make that kind of decision for their life. I am proud of this young woman in particular because of the live that she has made for herself, despite her physical challenges. She could have easily fallen into the trap of society’s expectations of her condition, but she went above and
beyond.
There will be some challenges that the child or parents may encounter as she gets older. The husband Jay must take care of not only one, but now two people that are unable to care for themselves; bathing, dressing, and transportation for example. I find that there are more positives than negatives to having a parent with a disability. The young woman will have spent hours of quality time with her daughter, which will give them a strong bond. Their little girl will have a better understanding than most about people with physical deficits. She will have compassion and empathy for others who are different than her. She will be familiar with diversity.
The title of the video is fantastic. The young woman is attempting to live a live without pity from others. I can tell from this video that she and her story have impacted many lives. She is an example that people with disabilities are capable of doing almost everything society would deem as “normal.” I would like to end with a quote from her husband in the video, “What is important is what is in her heart and what she is capable of doing.”