Able-bodied is not the opposite of disabled.

Able-bodied is not the opposite of disabled. FULL STOP.

Read that again.

It’s 2025. We should not be having to have this discussion, but here we are.

Able-bodied is not the opposite of disabled, but you wouldn’t know that from the rhetoric swirling around thanks to Trump and his cronies in Washington.

In one of the most clueless endeavors of this administration, the overhaul of Medicaid has brought up language that makes it clear that those in charge have no understanding of what Medicaid is or what it actually does.

It also makes it clear that none of these Republicans understand anything about disability.

Not all disabilities present physically. Not all disabilities present visibly. Some disabilities present visibly and we don’t recognize them as presenting visibly.

Chronic disabilities like Lupus and Crohn’s can go between having physical symptoms and remission. There are so many levels of disability. And like many other things disability and visibility can be on a spectrum.

Take for example autism. My son is autistic. But physically he has moments of great strength. At the same time he struggled to learn to tie his shoes and he has body tremors that are not usually visible to others unless he shows you. He also struggles with his gross and fine motor skills.

Meanwhile, I have a neurological disability that impacts my ability to move. I use a wheelchair, but I have fantastic fine motor skills if I can get my body to behave.

I will always be considered disabled because you can visibly see my wheelchair. He has to be evaluated constantly because while to everybody who knows him it’s clear he’s autistic, our society seems to think if you don’t present disability visibly or physically you don’t count.

I’ve had many jobs across the years in spite of being a wheelchair user. I am an innovator and have created many jobs myself when jobs could not or did not exist for me. Meanwhile, my son doesn’t work. He struggles to do things that he doesn’t understand why he has to do them. Those who know he’s autistic would not expect him to hold down a job even if he could.

But only one of us is being considered for RFK type wellness farms and it’s not me. Assuming that disabled people can work simply because they can physically move their bodies is asinine.

The opposite of disabled is actually nondisabled. That term is inclusive because it includes disabilities that are not always visible.

Even my physical disability has its limits. I can do so much work earlier in the day, more so than later because the more I work the more tired I become. That’s a reality for many disabilities. But these would not be considered or accommodated by this current administration.

The current administration knows nothing about disability and they are putting many disabled people at risk by saying that “able-bodied” people should be forced to work even if they physically are unable to due to disability.

Words matter. Learn how to use them correctly and stop saying able-bodied people are not disabled.

There is more than just physical visible disability.