Is lung disease a belief system?

[Cateran]

In the media recently there has been coverage of Veganism and its pro and cons as a belief system worthy of protection from discrimination in line with way religious beliefs, sexuality, disability, etc. Can the argument that our dietary preferences be also transferred to our lung conditions be likewise a campaigning defence of COPD, bronchiectasis, asthma and so forth, therefore be also claimed as a belief which is in itself a culture that can lead to stigmatisation within the general public, in line with the other well-known examples given beforehand? Or is this a claim too far for human rights?

[Hidden]

We’re already there- under the disability banner. We don’t need to believe that we have these conditions. It is a physical fact and unfortunately too many of us do experience different forms of discrimination from the general public.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I've had personal experience of this when I was at GP's waiting room some years ago.

[Hidden]

If it is then this is it's Temple. 😉

[teenieleek]

I find that if I tell people I have COPD I would be as well saying I am a Zoroastrian as knowledge of the two is equally low. So, a belief system? Why not?

[teenieleek]

P.S. no offence to any practising Zoroastrians intended. It was the first that came to mind.

[megshafer]

Lung diseases are stigmatized, if you smoked, didn't smoke, quit smoking...etc. which is one reason the individual diseases under COPD have no real advancements, nor are any cured, it's only been in records since the 15th century....alveoli can't be that different from a heart by pass, or repairing a aorta dissection, all are cells, that do different things, too many biological classes!!

It's really very sad, as there are many other diseases as they believe, self inflicted, they get love, concerts, all the fun things!! I think they will find, all lung diseases are genetic or have a genetic component. Oh....I am a vegan, always have been. Really, just don't like meat!! Lol

Sorry, I got off topic....but, we are all together in this.

Meg

[TomTitTot]

I fancy the stigmatization has a lot to do with the unavoidability of our cough. We hack, we uh, spit. We sound rather gross and I think we frighten people a bit. Ever had a coughing fit because you went from a cold to warm environment, or entered a theatre where the rising dust from those settling in their seats started you coughing. People glare and shift away, imagining you highly infectious.

I sometimes wish I had a sign that said something along the lines that they are a far greater risk to me than I to them. And let's face it while we may look rather tired, we're often presumed by others to be far healthier than we really are. I was once told, "Well at least you're not in a wheelchair," even those I've met quadriplegics with better lungs.

🕊

[Cateran]

Some of your responses above illustrate the complicated conditions of being afflicted with lung disease, and it is an affliction, a burden we carry with us, as well as the burden of constant medication and hospital treatment. My reason for raising the parallel with veganism is to highlight the protectionism of a legitimate categorised belief ( which is still open to judgement for some individuals). The protection encapsulated hate crime as much as stigmatisation and simple bad manners towards us, as shown with the instances of discrimination given here.

Yes, we are disabled and experience prejudice, but should something like a dietary preference be equated with a belief system, as with religions? Vegans would need to persuade me that their beliefs are worthy of protection within the law, and that they are handicapped or afflicted in some way by being vegans.

I am dealing with a dicey question here, and mean no offence to vegans. My aim is to clarify what precisely is a belief? If we set out to protect veganism, where do we end up? I could argue that klingon should be a protected language with a capital K, as much as Deaf culture is likewise defended by by the hard of hearing. can there be a Star Trek belief system?