Why Matters of Diabetes Ignorance Won’t Bother Me

I’m posting this with a little nervousness today (please don’t shoot me).

I won’t be bothered by the matters of diabetes ignorance that circulate around the diabetes community.

Am I saying that it’s okay to discriminate against people with diabetes? Absolutely not. 

I just don’t feel compelled to get angry about an offensive sign that was put up on the other side of the world, or a message written on a coffee cup. I wouldn’t personally feel compelled to speak up unless I felt that it directly affected me.

I will point out for those who remember, that I did write an angry post about the CrossFit debacle a year ago – something I am not proud of today. In hindsight, I simply don’t think it was worth my attention.

Being diagnosed at age 17, I see diabetes from both sides of the fence. I didn’t know the first thing about it before I was diagnosed. Thinking back to the days before my blog, I knew very little compared to what I do now. Even today, I’m still very much learning new things about diabetes each and every day. Last week alone, I had two conversations where I had to explain that I did not get diabetes from eating too many lollies (or in my case, chocolate).

These days, I actually love being asked about my diabetes. I feel very confident when talking about diabetes to others. I feel proud of the knowledge and insight that I can offer to help others better understand the condition I live with – something that wasn’t true two years ago. I don’t feel that anger would ever produce the same result.

I simply think that there are greater issues worth my attention. If the e-mails I receive each week are anything to go by, I would hope that my writing here brings to light the realities of life with diabetes. I would hope that others will discover the power of peer support that I did last year, and realise that they are not alone in this.

I guess another thing that bothers me is that lack of respect in each other’s different opinions towards these types of situations. Craig over at Insulin Nation penned this piece in response to one recent matter of ignorance, and to be frank some of the commentary I witnessed in response to his opinions were nasty. 

giphy (1)

My opinion on the issue of diabetes ignorance certainly isn’t the only one, or the right one. It is however, my own, and one which I hope will be respected. If you feel like the matters of ignorance are important to you, I’ll certainly respect that. (So long as you’re not a walker, of course).

3 Comments

  1. I do not get to bent out of shape about diabetes or most anything. I hope the election turns out well for my friends with diabetes in Australia

    I referred your blog to the TUDiabetes.org blog page for the week of July 4, 2016.

  2. It depends for me….I get on my high horse if I think that the DOC can actually make a difference…in some cases they can….or if its someone like Jamie Oliver who really should know better.

    I do respect your ability to ignore and move on.

  3. I try to rise above but I have to admit to filing yet another complaint to the BBC about yet another stupid D joke today. But that’s because it’s the BBC and they should know better, and are publicly funded.

    Mostly though the ignorance I struggle with is the people who think they know and pass judgement. Usually some medical background or family member with some kind of D so they are quite resistant to any education.

Leave a Reply