I don’t think able bodied people understand how hurtful it can be to question a disabled person’s need for accommodations or mobility aids. I recently transitioned to using a wheelchair full time, and sometimes, family members of mine make not so subtle suggestion and comments like “it must be nice to get to be lazy all the time!” or “aren’t you too young to be using that thing?” Even if said jokingly, these comments KILL me inside, because I’ve had to combat so much of my own internalized ableism and doubt, that I simply don’t have the energy to fight theirs too. And frankly – I shouldn’t have to. If you know someone with a disability, and they begin using a different mobility aid, or trying a new medication or seeing a new doctor – PLEASE don’t be anything but supportive. I guarantee you, they already have combated their own internalized hurt and ableism, so please don’t add to it by questioning or disapproving of their actions. you’re only making it harder to accomplish an already difficult thing for us.
Yes, you. You, with the pen in hand, the laptop atop your lap. You, with the scribbles and the scrawls. You with the tappity-taps and clickity-clicks. You, with the eraser marks. You, with the red and green squiggles. You, who knows a piece of written paper equals a little more than half a typed page. You, who knows 50,000 words is about 100 regular pages. You, who doesn’t know how to spell a word because you’ve only heard it spoken, but never seen it written. You, who stuffed your work in the attic drawer. You, who saved your story inside a chain of files so nobody would read it by accident.
Your writing is important. Don’t give up.
I’m so glad this post crossed my dash today. I really needed this.
