The response to the piece on the New York Times Lens Blog has been wonderful and overwhelming. I am glad that it has opened a dialogue about the stigmas of disability and people who don’t fit in to society’s definitions of “normal”.
I was struck by a comment by Ju from Berlin, a conjoined twin whose unique perspective encompasses everything I hope viewers will take away from this series:
As a conjoined twin myself (omphalopal) who lost my other half I can only say how refreshing it is to see people take a sincere interest and overcome stigma and fear. We are no monsters. And the twins Lupita and Carmen themselves show that of course, we are worthy to live and perhaps can even inspire others by looking at the core of what makes us human and of what makes life life, worthy to live. I don’t think of myself as solely a genetic error. I always accepted myself for what I was! What was hard was other’s lack of listening and either them wanting to treat me like one of them, or not deal with it at all. But it has brought me many blessings and I know for a fact how inspirational it can be to people that within all my scars I have a connection to living life to the full, and it even serves as a reminder for myself. The understanding for twins often ends with its fascination. When I google conjoined twins I get dead ones squeezed into a glass or whacko science fiction but until now never one about the special bond we share, or about how we make relationships work, what personality is to us. Nobody ever asks us!
Has it not for once occured to you that the mystery of life can only be lived, not understood or judged nor forsaken? It is ok to be fascinated, but I beg you to then also listen, and be open when you don’t know which question to ask. You might broaden your horizon and get a deep inspiration for your life.
