Non-discrimination policies

[Annerbananer]

So I just finished my freshman year of college. I took an Intro to Philosophy class spring semester and got a C- because 25% of the grade was based on class participation. On the first day of class the instructor explained the school's non-discrimination policy against people with illnesses and disabilities. I thought a lot about talking to him about it, but ended up not mostly because he said that we had to see him about it in the first week of school and in person. The instructor would get really, really mad when people didn't talk in class. I remember one day he said that everyone had to talk in class during that period or else he would call on you and you would get marked absent. I got so scared that day I left in the middle of class.

Okay so my point of this whole post is that I thought a lot about what would happen if I actually did talk to him about it, and don't think that he would have been very understanding. I remember talking to a teacher in high school once about not being able to talk in class and he said that everyone feels shy and it's just something you have to get over. I feel like a lot of people would say that. I work as a petsitter for a company and my boss had a non-discrimination policy too, but if I told her that I had AvPD I don't think she would have hired me. I mean, you have to talk to your clients after all. I just think it's sort of unfair that a lot of people don't see social anxiety as a big deal.

 

[Helyna]

You should have told him just to see what would happen. You have no idea what he would have done. But why in person? That's discrimination!

Well, people don't think it's important. And they probably never will, because all they see is someone who can't get over what they can handle.

Don't tell a boss about Avoidant personality disorder. Look at the name. It sounds terrible! Social Anxiety sounds better and more controllable than Social Phobia, so think about that before you tell someone. Adding "disorder" would be something good to say to a teacher when you're trying to get out of speaking in class, but not good for a future boss because it also makes the issue sound worse.