#Swallowing conditions

[hallowpen]

The Influence of Thai Culture on Attitudes towards Disabilities as it Relates to Last Twilight

(This is a combination of personal experiences/observations having lived in Bangkok and my learned academic knowledge/own personal research. I am not an expert by any means, but I wanted to offer some insight from my own personal point of view.)

While Thailand has certain provisions in place to prevent disability discrimination, it is still very much present in Thai society. Disability legislation is not strictly enforced and accessibility is extremely limited. That is not to say that efforts aren't being made to promote education and inclusivity, just that views and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities have been slow to reform. As such, there is a negative stigma that exists in Thailand where disabled individuals are, for the most part, seen as a burden or an inconvenience. There are certain cultural aspects that, unfortunately, contribute toward this outlook:

Collectivism and Tradition - Thailand can be labeled as a collectivistic society. What that means is, there is a tendency to favor the 'grouped' majority over individual interests. As a result, individuals with disabilities are less likely to be integrated into their communities. The urge to conform to group rules and traditions hinders Thai society from accepting "disruptive" change. Communities prefer to avoid the uncertainty and ambiguity of the unknown, which reduces the amount of conversations centering around disability education. I stated in my review of LT, that there needed to be a deeper conversation surrounding the experiences and realities of the disabled community in order for the series to have the impact it intended to. And this is why. It needs to be talked about, otherwise nothing will change and, much like the last part of that final episode, ableist views/language will prevail.

Religious Influence - At this point (if you are a fan of Thai dramas), you probably already know that Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand. We are taught to be merciful towards the weak and to give of ourselves to those who are less fortunate. While helping others should absolutely be seen as morally good, these viewpoints can also give rise to societal stigmas surrounding disabilities. Receiving unsolicited assistance as a disabled person became a constant question of: are you genuinely concerned out of kindness OR because you somehow see me as 'less than' and therefore feel you have a moral obligation to step in. In LT, I understood Day's insistent worry of being on the receiving end of someone else's pity. There was a reason why it was so prevalent in his story and why he questioned the motives of others' actions so frequently. Because Thai culture has inadvertently labeled disabled people as being 'frail' and 'in need' and who should, therefore, be met with sympathy.

Caregiving - While there are social welfare programs and services available in Thailand, generally, it is the responsibility of the family to care for and provide for their disabled relatives. Intergenerational care is a big part of Thai culture, but in this instance it's not entirely positive. The broader Thai society infantilizes people with disabilities, which means they are often disallowed from making their own decisions by those who care for them (sound familiar?). As a result, they live under less than ideal conditions that exclude them from being active members of their communities. It's upsetting that people with disabilities exist largely out of the public eye, when opportunities to be present in society and engaging with their community could potentially change their status and offset stereotypical attitudes. One of the best parts of LT that I will continuously praise it for, is Mhok's version of caregiving that completely turns these views on its (their?) head. He's not afraid to stand up to Day (or how Day's been conditioned to feel toward his blindness) and gently pushes him toward self acceptance and engagement within his community. Mhok is subtle in a way that he does what is required of him as a caregiver without ever taking away Day's agency. And that was extremely important to see against Day's mother's more 'traditional' care.

Treatment - I'm not well versed when it comes to Thai healthcare. I do know that outside of traditional medicine, access to more advanced modern treatment is highly dependent on income and social standing. Other than that, it is a disabled person's prerogative to seek treatment if a treatment exists for their disability and is accessible to them. It is also their prerogative to refuse treatment. Neither decision should be judged or actively swayed by outside perspectives (though this happens more often than not). It is highly plausible that someone in Day's position, coupled with his mother's status, would have both the access and the desire to receive a corneal transplant surgery. The outcome of Day's vision being restored was never the issue for me. The fault lies in its execution and what was implied in the aftermath.

...that's all I got. I don't really know how to end this...I'm tired.

(Please note, this is not at all meant to paint Thailand in a bad light. Thai society is fairly accepting of individuals with disabilities and positive attitudes do exist, but certain perspectives need to change!)

tagging @lurkingshan @waitmyturtles @shannankle

[subsequentibis]

the fisherman might get a canon design + story stuff that'll contradict this in dredge but i started making up a backstory for him in my head while playing so i'm making a design to go with it. guy who died and came back wrong and also fish, and is gay and weird for the collector

[playbarbies]

my brain fog is so bad it’s no longer fog. it’s the mist™️.

[tiny-candies-and-cookies]

that's my very creative and roundabout way to say Silver//bolt has entered my brain and will not leave

[critdeeznuts]

SHORT KING NORMAL CONFIRMED FUCK YEAH

[the-ars99-mc-empire]

I wanted to draw this birb for a while now

Now with hypnoless alt ver!

[swordmaid]

i have this one post bg3 epilogue/canon au for hag romance where they ! get the Gang (except lae’zel) together again bc shri’iia is in a quest for a cure for astarion’s vampirism and i like the idea that gale introduces thalia to them bc she’s also a travelling scholar hoping to find a cure of her own affliction and she’s been every where so surely she has a lead somewhere (maybe she does). actually 5050 on everyone being together but what’s important is that Hag Romance is a thing AND The Soulmates are meeting and in the same vicinity…..!! not to mention thalia was shri’iia’s dream guardian so to meet a woman who looked so similar to the person that you’ve seen before is so ‼️❓ not to mention how drows are not able to dream nor see anything in their trance, so the dream guardian visiting is something so memorable to shri’iia bc that’s the first time she has seen anything in her trance other than the Black Void, and the fact that that woman is very real and alive and in front of her …. Interesting scenario to me hehe

[hotsugarbyglassanimals]

I do not appreciate a psuedodysphagia flare up

[maryasmorevna]

SO close to strangling my dad for what he's saying about berluconi... what a deeply ignorant little man he is at heart

[stardustedknuckles]

I really hate that I had an adverse reaction to the second covid shot and I can't like, look up stories about other people who had weird shit happen without landing in the middle of antivax horseshit. Now that I'm in Chicago I already want to take more precautions, but I probably would've kept putting it off if my roommates hadn't (reasonably) informed me that they weren't comfy going to the theater for the m9 reunion show with me unless I got boosted. So I've signed up for it, but now I'm anxious all over again. At least this time if it fucks with me I won't be alone...

[maddisandy]

Its time to play the game of: is it chiari or is it strep! Step right up and spin the wheel!

[notitlemp3]

@anxieteaspooks

Please reblog, I’m trying to make up a god

[wryn-redacted-thrives]

another day, another moment of “oh wait, fuck, when was the last time i was tested for that vitamin deficiency?!”

[perfecthandshealthcaregroupllc]

Swallowing difficulties, or dysphagia, are more common than many people realize, especially among older adults and individuals with certain medical conditions. Left unaddressed, these issues can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and even respiratory complications. Fortunately, speech therapy offers a highly effective solution, especially when provided as part of home health care in Columbus, Ohio. With the support of trained speech therapists, patients can regain their swallowing ability and improve their quality of life, all while receiving care in the comfort of their own homes.

[selamat-linting]

having bad thoughts abt food again

[macksting]

[ID: Article with inset photograph of Anthony Perkins, star of the movie Psycho. “Anthony Perkins: sexually conflicted actor. Anthony Perkins was an actor who had affairs with A-list male celebrities: Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, Troy Donahue, Rudolf Nureyev, Paul Newman, Leonard Bernstein, James Dead, and Stephen Sondheim. The one that lasted, however, was with dancer/choreographer Grover Dale, with --” The article is cut off here. /end ID] [ID: Tumblr tag by How Did You All Get In My Room says, “The only conflict here is scheduling.” /end ID] Side note: Anthony Perkins’ Wikipedia page indicates he never officially came out as gay during his career, but actively supported queer causes, including volunteering for an org that brought HIV/AIDS patients meals (Project Angel Food), which is emotionally fucking me up because that’s, like, one of those truly ultimate right and good things you could do, so in addition to being a goddamn sexual tiger and rather Goals, he -- I just -- god, the stigma back then, the terror that was sewn, the shunning and silence. I remember the trailing end of those days. Had I been a little more sexually ambitious or a little more unlucky, it is genuinely possible I could have died of AIDS, because I could have contracted it and died from its complications before the AIDS Cocktail was developed. Or because it was a difficult and complicated med schedule, or because I could not afford it, when it was developed. His fate could have been mine, and younger. I’m tired an incoherent. I usually don’t give a shit about stars, but... this guy. I wonder how many people we don’t remember. But there’s little harm, and some good, in celebrating these deeds. And to remember (to paraphrase T. Kingfisher’s A Wizard’s Guide To Defensive Baking as well as Legend Of The Galactic Heroes) that a hero is someone who had to do something that should not have had to be done; by praising them as heroes, we can avoid asking difficult questions about why the need was there.

there is not one name on this list that isn’t a lifetime achievement of fucking