Being "targeted" at Target



Imagine shopping with a friend on the weekend and your friend is suddenly approached by a stranger who starts whispering to her. As the outsider in this situation, what would you do? 

Being the curious person I am, I wanted to hear what the stranger was saying to my friend, so I pushed my walker closer and strained to listen. Unfortunately, I still couldn't hear the conversation.

After the stranger left, I asked my friend what the person wanted, and she said the lady was the owner of an Adult Day Health facility for people with disabilities and she thought they may be able to help me. She had given my friend a business card. My friend, who knows me so well, was so taken aback and was truly at a loss for words.

While this lady may have thought she was doing the right thing by approaching my friend, she made an assumption about the type of disability I have and that I needed help. Both of these assumptions were made by seeing my physical disability and possibly overhearing my speech pattern. 

The rest of my trip to Target was spent fuming about the situation and planning the look I would give her and what I would say if I saw her again in the store. 

Unfortunately, I did not see her again, but when I got home, I reached out to her. I explained how inappropriate it was for her to approach my friend and to assume that I needed her or anyone else's assistance. While she was apologetic, I don't forgive what she did, and I hope she now understands that she should never approach an individual in a public or private place to recruit them for her facility.  

There are many things that were wrong and bothered me about this situation. . .

1. Instead of speaking directly to me, she spoke to my friend and purposely communicated the information in a whisper, so I couldn't hear her.
2. She made an assumption about the type of disability I have based solely on my appearance. 
3. She assumed I needed help without knowing anything about me and what I have achieved in my life. 

Please remember. . .most people with disabilities have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else. Please speak directly to us, even if it takes more effort on your part. Please don't make assumptions based on the mobility equipment we use, the pattern of our speech, or anything else for that matter.

I still cannot stop thinking about the situation and how disgusting and shocking it was. This only makes me want to become an even stronger advocate for people with disabilities. 

Written by Sydney Breslow 

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