Why saying ‘You don’t look sick’ is not a compliment (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

By Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.comHave you ever heard someone say “you don’t look sick” or “you don’t look like you have a disability?” It may be well-intentioned as a compliment, but it’s not helpful language.In this episode of “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” co-hosts Geoff “DeafGeoff” Herbert and Kurt Hower discuss how so-called “invisible disabilities” are treated by others, how to be respectful and helpful, the spoon theory, and the unseen struggles of people with arthritis, autoimmune disorders, chronic illness, hearing loss, and other different abilities.“People with autoimmune diseases, often they’re in pain 24/7,” Kurt said. “Psoriasis is one of those things people they tend to cover it up with their clothing. So it’s not necessarily something that you can see. But what goes along with that is pain and inflammation. So we just need to be more aware that there are people out there that have disabilities, that are dealing with chronic illness, and we just need to be more mindful of that.”Referenced in this episode: Watch our previous interviews with “Blind & Bored” content creator Hannah Weymouth and MS and chronic illness advocate Nicole Pedra. “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major audio podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart.Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.About the hostsGeoff Herbert, who was born with a profound binaural hearing loss, is a reporter and content supervisor for Advance Local. Despite being mostly deaf in both ears, he’s also worked as a DJ for 25 years, including in radio (as “DeafGeoff”) and as a wedding DJ in Upstate New York, and was inducted into the WJPZ Radio Hall of Fame. He learned how to communicate orally with hearing aids, lipreading and speech therapy, and embraces assistive technology like visual waveforms in music programs, closed captioning/subtitles, and video calls.Kurt Hower, who has worked at Advance Local for over 35 years, is a leader both in the media industry and in the community. He has been actively involved in leading change as the print industry has continued to rapidly evolve, while also serving on a variety of boards including the Central PA Chapter Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors where he was Chairman of Board Development and a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Hower has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that causes arthritis of the spine, and encourages others to focus on what they can contribute to society rather than their challenges.Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert is a Reporter and Content Supervisor for Advance Local. He covers a wide range of topics including entertainment, national news and trending topics, plus specializes in search engine...