Did you know people have images in their head of how cripples should act as well? It's fascinating.
I am not surprised. Not that this compares at all to your situation, but whenever people find out that I'm diabetic, they pull out these decades-old ideas about what they think I should be able to do, and what I shouldn't. "Oh, so I shouldn't offer you any sweets, then, yes? Okay, I won't." GOOD LORD. Diabetics not being able to have sweets, that was ages ago. And they do this even after I've told them that I can eat anything. People just hate giving up on their preconceived ideas.

I don't even want to imagine how much one would come across this sort of behavior with a visible disability. I'm sure it must be so frustrating.