subject: Fighting Discrimination against Diabetes [print this page] If someone talks to you about diabetes discrimination, don't be shocked. It is a bitter fact that many of us are unaware of. Discrimination against people with diabetes is common and exist many different forms. You may observer discrimination in schools, the workplaces and in some cases even in one family. People are often told that you are not allowed to do something for being a diabetic. It is discrimination when you don't give someone an opportunity to do something.
Obviously it is by no means fair to degrade the people having diabetes or in my view having any other medical problem. No one likes to be the victim of any disease, it is something natural and you cannot have any role in them. These people want care and attention rather than hate or your rage.
According to many attorneys, there are three steps involved in fighting discrimination against diabetes, i.e. education, negotiation and legal action or litigation.
But there are other things also which you can do on your behalf. Begin with documenting everything. Make a written record of everything that happened with you. Don't forget to put date and time and the name of the people involved and also the name of the witnesses. You written document should be a whole summary of the event that who said what to whom etc. once the problem is resolved no need to show this document to anyone, but don't waste that document, keep it with you for future concerns. The better way is to make two copies of the document and keep one at home and mail one copy of it to yourself keep this copy sealed in an envelope with postmark as evidence. This envelope will be of great help, if the problem escalates in future as a solid proof.
If at any time you feel the need to sue your employer for discrimination, document the fact that your diabetes is well under control. You need two copies of this documentation as well one for your own records and one for your doctor. It is better to keep written records of your blood glucose tests, these records can be used as a proof to show that you diabetes is under control and you are taking good care of yourself with proper medication. Your doctor should be there to support your claim that your diabetes is no threat to other office mates. You can also keep a copy of glycohemoglobin results as well.
Another way to fight discrimination is through education. It is vital to educate people that diabetics are nothing less than normal people. Raising awareness about diabetes and its different aspects to coworkers and employer is necessary. You can tell them that you are equally deserving and qualified to do that particular job as the other people are so there is no reason to discriminate you for being a diabetic. What you need to do is to make them realize that your diabetes is no harm to them, show them passages from the ADA and still things don't work for you, feel free to take legal actions.
