chainedspectre

[chainedspectre]

I study sustainability and part of my degree involves studying green architecture. I am also a wheelchair user. Walkable cities are ableist.

When people hear "walkable cities are ableist" and immediately retaliate they are usually thinking of a theoretical ideal for cities that isn't currently being put into practice. The problem is, there are new, walkable cities being built across the globe and they are not taking disabled people into consideration. These cities are not theoretical.

These communities are usually being built on privately owned land which can give them exemptions from having things as basic as paved sidewalks and roads. Most of these cities had gravel or dirt pathways, and all of them had large curbs or steps leading to the entrances of buildings. Even when sidewalks were present, the buildings were all multistory, which is necessary for a space to be walkable, however, none of the buildings had elevators. There was not a single community shown that I could actually live in.

The able-bodied people in my classes were consistently appalled by the lack of accessibility because I kept pointing it out. None of them had considered accessibility before I was in the class, and several were majoring in architecture.

If walkable cities were built with disabled people in mind then yes, they'd be hugely beneficial to disabled people, but walkable cities aren't just dreams for the future they are being built right now, and they are being built to keep us out. Walkable cities are ableist.

[chainedspectre]

"hah you think walkable cities won't be accessible!!!"

Well I mean, if you mean accessible cities, then why, pray tell, are you not saying that? Because "walkable" is catchier?

Like. If you're going to insist on twist the word "walkable" until you pretend it's a synonym for "accessible for everyone", then you don't really get to complain when people say that walkable cities aren't accessible. Because you're just blatantly not using words right.

If you mean you want to build accessible cities, say that. Why do you think "walkable" is more catchy and positive than "Accessible"? Is it because you've got an ableism problem you need to work on?

If you see disabled people talking about the need for truly accessible cities, and your immediate response is to be snarky and sarcastic and act like they're stupid for not understanding that when you say "walkable" you of course mean "accessible even for people who can't walk"...you're just being ableist.

If you mean you want accessible cities, say that. Instead of pretending that "walkable" is a synonym for accessible. If you only campaign for walkable cities you don't get to pretend you're shocked when those cities leave out disabled people.

You can, in fact, just say what you mean.

If you can't even change out a single word to explicitly make accessability for everyone the goal, how can you pretend you're going to fight the bigger fights?

[chainedspectre]

Ok I know there is a very slim chance that anyone will see this and a slimmer chance it will change anyone’s minds but here’s my thoughts on the whole election thing and why it is imperative you go and vote if you are eligible.

You may be thinking Rose you are very open about being British you don’t even have a stake in this election. This is part of my point. How many UK parliamentary candidates can you name? Who were the candidates up for prime minister in the most recent election from the main two parties? When was the most recent UK election?

If you aren’t living in the UK or having a vested interest in UK politics you probably don’t know the answer. Thats ok why should you? Thats why it should concern you how many people outside the US who should have no stake in your elections whatsoever know so much about this one and are scared for the outcome.

I remember being 13 and sitting in the library before registration in November 2016. We didn’t have a full grasp of quite what Trump’s presidency would bring but we knew enough to be worried. I remember being 17 in November 2020 and sitting in my classroom constantly refreshing the BBC live coverage feed to see if they had called the election yet and updating my classmates and teachers on which states had been called for which candidates, all of us nervous for what another four years of Trump would bring. I am 21 now. Five months ago I cast my vote in my first UK general election, one of the most important in years, and sat up watching the coverage with my parents until dawn cheering when my area which had historically been a conservative stronghold was called for Labour. I am terrified for what another four years of Trump will mean. I am old enough to vote now. I wish I could vote in your election so for me and every other non-US citizen who wishes the same for goodness sake go out and vote. Not voting is not an option.

By not voting you may as well hand Trump the presidency now because his supporters will sure as hell go out and vote. You know why my area which has been a Tory stronghold finally lost? Because Reform UK (aka MAGA UK or the raging facist party) split the vote.

The people who voted for Reform UK were largely disgruntled Tory voters who wanted to ‘demonstrate their disappointment in the conservatives’. It’s a rhetoric I’ve seen on here among undecided/ non voters and it won’t work. If not for Reform UK, conservatives would have won in my area. You don’t have the benefit of a multi-party system and if there is vote splitting because of third party candidates you know it won’t fall in Harris’ favour.

The first image shows the votes for the main two/three UK political parties. The second shows the votes for Reform. Reform got more votes (although not parliamentary seats) than the third biggest UK party. More people voted for the raging facist party than the liberals and if that doesn’t scare you I don’t know what will.

So as my mother says go and exercise your right to vote. Eligible voters, you are fortunate enough to have an opportunity to vote in this election for goodness sake do. And encourage friends and family to as well. Organise on the group chat to go to the polls with your friends. Drag your reluctant siblings out of bed to go and vote with you.

This is the most important election of your lives, act like it.

[chainedspectre]

[chainedspectre]

i cannot stress enough that in a two party system, one of those two parties WILL end up in power. the next president will be either harris or trump. neither of these are an ideal option - neither are even a good option - but one of them will be in charge. neither of them support palestine.

so you're going to have to vote on other criteria. vote on immigration, on trans rights, on reproductive rights. no matter what happens in this election, us support of israel will not change. keep fighting that in other ways - but don't let trump win.

[chainedspectre]

my girl is having a terrible day at the office

[chainedspectre]

[chainedspectre]

i cannot stress enough that in a two party system, one of those two parties WILL end up in power. the next president will be either harris or trump. neither of these are an ideal option - neither are even a good option - but one of them will be in charge. neither of them support palestine.

so you're going to have to vote on other criteria. vote on immigration, on trans rights, on reproductive rights. no matter what happens in this election, us support of israel will not change. keep fighting that in other ways - but don't let trump win.

[chainedspectre]

Best RPF Ship - Round 4 Match 7

[chainedspectre]

the vampire allegations are due to the fact that these two pictures were taken sEVENTEEN YEARS APART

[chainedspectre]

Any red state can turn blue if enough voters turn out.

[chainedspectre]

[chainedspectre]

i cannot stress enough that in a two party system, one of those two parties WILL end up in power. the next president will be either harris or trump. neither of these are an ideal option - neither are even a good option - but one of them will be in charge. neither of them support palestine.

so you're going to have to vote on other criteria. vote on immigration, on trans rights, on reproductive rights. no matter what happens in this election, us support of israel will not change. keep fighting that in other ways - but don't let trump win.

[chainedspectre]

I'm sure many people have already shared this here, but I think it's important that people here on Tumblr need to see this.

"I disagree with Kamala's position on the war in Gaza. How can I vote for her?" by US Senator Bernie Sanders

[chainedspectre]

Torchwood rules, it’s like “Hey kids, did you like the funny bisexual man from Doctor Who? How’d you like to see him have passionate gay sex with his secretary and also murder a child?”

[chainedspectre]

I hope november is kind to all of us