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This column was posted on 2/2/2010. Check back next week to see another "Tuff Talk!" question and answer. It could be yours!

They Treat Me Different!

My friends at school treat me differently because I have a paralyzed leg. I always have my brace and my crutch, or my wheelchair. But it hurts my feelings when they look at me funny or tell me I can't do something they can. I don't know what to say to them. I've already tried telling them I can do everything they can, just a bit slower, but they still treat me different. – Kiki, 12, USA

It's horrible when you have something that makes you different than others, and people just don't seem to understand that by treating you in a different way, they're only making it worse! It's likely that your friends only have your best interest at heart and are trying to show you they understand by mentioning that you can't do the same things as them. You need to sit them down and just be honest with them, instead of getting defensive and telling them you can do the same things as them, just let them know gently that they're hurting your feelings. They'll soon realise what they've been doing and put a stop to it, and then you can join in with your friends without worry!  As for the people that aren't your friends who treat you oddly, well, who cares? They're probably doing it because they don't want to risk doing or saying anything that could offend you. So instead of worrying about it, try and turn it into a positive thing and just let it slide by. It's your friends that you need to worry about it, so focus your energy on talking to them about it and everything should start to feel better. Good luck! – Rachael, 15, United Kingdom