More the Same Than Different

Book excerpt: Have you ever seen a wheelchair user who you thought might need some help, but you weren't sure what to do? Have you ever wanted to start a conversation with someone who has a speech impediment but were afraid you might be awkward and say something offensive? More the Same than Different: What I Wish People Knew About Respecting and Including People with Disabilities is a practical guide for anyone who may not have much experience interacting with people with disabilities and wants to feel more comfortable. Full of skills and strategies to implement, as well as stories from Lorraine's personal experience, this book includes various scenarios and explains, from Lorraine's perspective, what people did right and what could have happened differently. Examples of chapter titles include The Importance of What You Say, The Importance of How You Say What You Say, Empowerment, Positive Interactions, Inclusion, Inspiration and the concept of Inspiration Porn, and Disability Etiquette. This book exemplifies in many ways that we are all more the same than different. "Lorraine has been giving our readers an inside view of her life as a wheelchair user for years as a writer for Chicken Soup for the Soul. Her book is a helpful collection of observations and tips for those of us who aren't quite sure what to do when we encounter people with disabilities in our daily lives." Amy Newmark, editor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books