How Chinese with disabilities are inspiring a more inclusive country
China must enforce its disability rights laws and improve accessibility, but social attitudes also need to shift beyond discrimination and pity
I hope Jiang’s triumphs will serve as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path for others to chase their dreams and embrace the transformative power of sports. Yet, for those who do step onto this path, a word of warning: mockery and scorn may await.
In late August, a young woman with disabilities from Ningxia Hui autonomous region, surnamed Ma, shared a video of herself on social media engaged in vigorous exercise. What followed was a torrent of vitriol from online trolls. “Look at you! Why do you bother”? sneered one netizen. Another cruelly accused her of pretending to be able-bodied. One particularly venomous commenter went so far to say “If you don’t have a full body, what’s the point of living like that.”