Part 1: The Weight of Silence
In this first part of our four-part series on working to break the stigma around Learning Disabilities, we examine how being silent can be a burden that holds us back.
For many people with learning disabilities, the hardest part isn’t the learning difference itself—it’s the silence that surrounds it.
Whether it’s the fear of being judged, misunderstood, or labelled, the stigma around learning disabilities runs deep. It keeps students quiet in classrooms, professionals hesitant to disclose at work, and parents unsure of how to advocate for their children. But the only way to change that is to start talking openly, honestly, and without shame.
Learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, and others affect millions of people worldwide. They’re incredibly common, yet conversations about them often feel rare or uncomfortable. Why?
Because stigma still tells people that these differences are something to hide. That struggling in a traditional academic setting is a personal failure. That accommodations are “special treatment.” That needing help means you’re “less than.”
This mindset is not only outdated—it’s damaging.
I grew up not knowing what was wrong with me. I felt the shame of not being able to live up to my parents’, my teachers’, or even my own expectations. Any talk about my struggles was met with phrases like, “You need to focus more,” and “You need to pull up your socks.” I absolutely felt like a failure.
Once upon a time, while completing my B.A., I worked in a theatre on a university campus. We worked with co-op students, teaching them technical theatre. My supervisor was frustrated by individuals receiving accommodations. They said, “These students aren’t receiving the same degree. It isn’t equal. How is their work worth the same as someone who didn’t receive the same accommodations?” I didn’t disclose to them that I was one of those students. I was so ashamed. I doubted myself and my abilities completely.
My experience is decades old. Unfortunately, many still hold on to the same opinion and misunderstanding today.
There is a lot of talk today about privilege and how we all start our journey from different places. I wish the world were totally equal for everyone, but we all know that it isn’t. Some of us have the advantage of money or connections that our parents have.
Some of us fit into the system the way it was designed.
School is just a system. It wasn’t designed for everyone. It didn’t take all types of brains into consideration when it was created.
I didn’t fit into that system. My brain is different.
Here are some of the things our brains can’t agree on:
How much should you toast your toast.
The best way to draw an X.
Whether you should lick or bite your ice cream.
What to have for dinner.
(Seriously, many online forums are dedicated to the ridiculous arguments humans can find themselves in.)
Given these simple things, why do we continue to believe that there is only ONE way to learn?
It is beyond time to shatter the silence.
Next month in Part 2: How talking makes a difference.
