There’s an important difference and distinction between the objective medical fact of my being an amputee and the subjective societal opinion of whether or not I’m disabled. Truthfully, the only real and consistent disability I’ve had to confront is the world ever thinking that I could be described by those definitions.

Source: "The Opportunity of Adversity." TEDMED 2009. Oct 2009. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: With this quote, author Aimee Mullins explains that being an amputee does not make a person "disabled"; as an amputee herself, Mullins says that the only thing she's ever been disabled, or hindered, by is other people's discrimination. The quote is from Mullins' 2009 TED Talk about how facing adversity, such as the discrimination faced by a person with a physical disability, can actually be a gift. Watch the full TED Talk here: Aimee Mullins - The Opportunity of Adversity  

“The Opportunity of Adversity.” TEDMED 2009. Oct 2009. Conference Presentation.