Ableism Tells Me
2024 05 13
|
etc
no date
2024 +
2025
entries
home
Back on 2020 09 01, there was a hashtag campaign on Twitter to raise awareness of some of the things disabled people face and the concerns we have. I have long since deleted all my content from Twitter, but I do have a backup. These are the hashtags I shared that day:
#AbleismTellsMe you think that my wearing glasses means that all my vision problems are magically solved and no longer impact me: 80/200 and that's with the glasses.
#AbleismTellsMe that you have no idea that employers do, despite what laws against discrimination might be in place, actually profile disabled people out of jobs before they even get a chance to try them.
#AbleismTellsMe that you have no clue whatever that not every disability can be accommodated into every employment every time, and that you have no trust or faith in the fact that I know this better than you ever will.
#AbleismTellsMe that you think I deserve to live in the poverty of a pittance government pension, and that I should be happy about it.
#AbleismTellsMe that I'm not supposed to hold my book three inches from my face to read it because of how it looks. Oh, you mean how it embarrasses me? It doesn't embarrass me, ex-manfriend. It clearly embarrassed you.
#AbleismTellsMe that I'm not allowed to ask people for things that might help me because it would infringe on their comfort zone, like the former friend who wouldn't let me hold his arm while we walked through a dark bar.
#AbleismTellsMe tells me that if I have a physical disability it automatically means that I must need things explained to me like I have the IQ of a rutabaga. I'm vision impaired, not brain dead.
#AbleismTellsMe tells me that I'm obligated to make the difficulties of my disability public in order to edify or entertain you. I don't owe you jack.