#ableist tw

[chronicallycouchbound]

The narrative that “you should care about disabled people because one day that’ll be you” is ableist in and of itself.

You should care about disabled people’s rights because you should care about the disenfranchisement of a marginalized community.

Becoming disabled is not a punishment. Becoming disabled is not a threat. Becoming disabled is not cosmic retaliation for being ableist. Becoming disabled is morally neutral.

[consider-your-potatoes-mashed]

Why do abled people always fucking suggest the most basic things to “fix” disabled people’s problems/disabilities and act like they know better than we do???

If you, a person who does not live with the disability you’re trying to “fix”, can think of a solution off the top of your head without any research, experience, or even trying to actually understand what we have tried and what we’re actually dealing with don’t you think that we might’ve already or are already trying that???

For me this comes most from my mother saying that I need to change my diet (even though I have so many sensory issues surrounding food and have tried and failed so many times), that I need to lose weight (ma’am I am trying), that I should try stretching (you know what I’ve tried that for years and guess what it just stretches my ligaments because I’m fucking hypermobile and it ends up causes me more pain), that I need to exercise more (I’m trying but I’m also limited by pain. Pain that keeps me from being able to exercise most of the time. Pain that usually gets worse when I try to exercise), that I should try to not use my mobility aids because I’ll become reliant on them (ma’am they help me. They are not hurting me. They are what keeps me able to do stuff you want me to be able to do. Why should I try to not use them???), and so much fucking more

Like seriously abled people stop pretending you know our bodies better than we do I promise you you don’t. Even doctors (as shit as they might be) are supposed to listen to us before they even start to make recommendations (yeah many don’t but they’re supposed to)

[brettdoesdiscourse]

If you want to see a good example of how little people care for disabled people, just look at people talking about service dogs.

People with service dogs: Please don't distract service dogs as they're medical equipment. The handler could literally die if the dog is distracted by you and cannot do their job properly.

Ableists in the replies: Omg why are you all so entitled???? I just want to talk to/pet the dog!!! It's not that big of a deal, shut the fuck up.

Like the way people will not do the simplest things that barely inconvenience them at all for disabled people is wild. At that point, it has to just be blatant ableism (in the way that they're actively trying to make disabled people's lives harder) or extreme entitlement. Like off the charts entitlement.

[strangenscary]

AUTHORS AND WRITERS OF TUMBLR

! this font is not accessible !

i’ve seen a lot of fics posted on this site using this tiny font.

within settings on your phone and tumblr you can change the font size in the app, which makes it more accessible for disabled folks who have a hard time reading (like myself) however, the settings do not work on mobile for this tiny font

i sincerely BEG of you please do not post your ENTIRE fic in this font. you are alienating readers and actively making your art inaccessible.

[aacalienz]

Being homeless and not fully speaking is rough. Literally everything involves a phone call and I literally can’t do that. I can’t use text relay either because I don’t have an area code for the state I moved to. And then people think that I’m just not working at getting housing. Even though I literally can’t and I just want to cry because of how inaccessible it is.

[crippledwithrage]

Anti aging culture is abelist

I don't get to grow old.

I can't afford that bullshit anyway.

I won't get to see my smile lines that prove I was a happy person.

I won't experience the gift of age.

I'll never get to look in the mirror in 70 years and see that I am alive and thriving.

I'd be beyond grateful to grow old.

Because it's more than some wrinkles. It's proof I survived.

[artsykerfufflespam]

Ableist Story Time!

Sooo it was my final day of driver ed, stopped at a red light, all going fine, humming n tapping my fingers, just stimming a bit, only some very minor and infrequent facial tics... I wasnt hardly doing anything "odd", merely not masking. And then the driving instructor asks me "Did you take your medicine today?".

ō_ō

Bitch? What?

1. Thats not something you ask a stranger

2. Her tone was,, idk how to describe but it didnt help make what she said less-ableist-feeling/ less offensive

3. In asking that she was essentially saying "i think youre acting crazy" and/or "you seem unfit to drive because of this behavior" (the behavior was extremely mild and its not her job to decide if my illnesses prevent me from driving or not)

4. I don't take medicine for tourettes or for ASD, so idek what "medicine" she was referring to. She doesn't know me. If I wasn't on any medicine she would essentially be telling a stranger that she thinks they need to be medicated.

In summation, the rest of the drive was not particularly great. As we drove faster and my anxiety worsened my tics too slightly, and knowing that she was judging me for it certainly didn't help me relax. Simply stimming is enough for someone to think someone should be medicated. I spend most of my time with accepting, and usually also ND, people, so this was my first encounter with someone like this in a while. It was a shock to say the least, a shock that people are still so un-understanding.

Feel free to comment or rb your opinions, if I'm overreacting or if you have similar experiences. Personally i think this exchange was ridiculous and embarassing and incasive and abelist.

[they-them-that]

TW: ableism

Proud Family: Louder And Prouder had an episode around Bebe and the family learning he's autistic. I really appreciate how it was educational and accepting but I was rubbed the wrong way with the tone of the episode that treated Bebe's autism like a sickness.

I understand that The Proud Family usually have the characters start out ignorant about something that they learn to overcome by the end of the episode. My dad was ableist and my mom still doesn't fully understand the depths of neurodivergence (despite probably having ADHD herself) which affected how me and my siblings grew up undiagnosed. This is a necessary episode! But like a lot of Proud Family Louder And Prouder episodes that try to tackle nuanced subjects, there is a lack of tact in my opinion. I found it triggering how the family seemed devastated by the news and the doctor in particular did not seem to relieve their stigmas. It came off as "yes your son is sadly autistic, but we'll get through this" rather than "your son could have autism but this is nothing to be afraid of".

I don't have an issue with depicting ableism in the Proud Family as long as it's for the sake of debunking it but it also felt like the show itself was unsure how to feel. They seemed to have felt bad for the family for having an autistic son and not even Bebe for having to navigate a neurotypical world. This unconscious bias is a regular issue in The Proud Family, like how it tries to push feminist messages but is littered with sexist and patriarchal jokes or how it humanizes Oscar as a conservative father but never lets him actually grow from it. It's a well meaning show that connects to black families without sugar coating its family dynamic but still struggles in overcoming its own dated ideas of feminism, queer identities, fatphobia and neurodivergence. Still, I'd rather see a show tackle these subjects even if they make mistakes than not try at all.

[bionicbabe0101]

CW: ableism discussion

I just finished a work meeting with a group of healthcare administrators and medical providers. They ended with a casual conversation about how they would all rather die at a ‘young’ age (which according to them is around 70) then experience a loss in quality of life due to chronic illnesses or aging in general. Lots of agreement around how devastating it would be to be a burden on others because of chronic illness. One administrator literally described a life that was short but free of serious health problems as ‘a good life.’

My chronically ill ass promptly left the meeting to crawl under my desk and weep tears of rage and despair.

I was diagnosed with my first chronic condition when I was 25. I guess I should’ve just died, because now I’m such a burden and can’t have a good life.

[newwwwusername]

Stranger Things (Netflix) - Robin & Steve - Autism Acceptance Month Prompt 6 : Phone Call

Prompt : Write a fic in which an Autistic character either makes or receives a phone call Headcanon : Autistic!Robin

Robin was never good at phone calls. It was the thing she hated most about working at Family Video- The phone calls they'd get in asking about different movies and policies. Even with a script to follow for most of those calls, it was stressful because she had to time out when to speak and there was always the callers with questions or comments she didn't have pre-scripted responses for.

Thankfully, whenever Steve was around, he'd handle those because he knew how stressful they were for his friend and he'd prefer her to do work that he didn't like doing instead.

One of these days, Steve happened to be in the bathroom when the phone rang. Robin's heart sunk but she swallowed back her anxiety and picked up the phone.

"Hello, this is Family Video! My name is Robin. What can I help you wi-"

"Yeah, I know you" an older woman on the other end of the phone cut her off and Robin's heart sunk even further because she knew that voice. "Look, I'm not so sure about you and this job"

"Mom..."

"You need people skills to work in customer service" her mom continued despite her clear discomfort. "And every time I ever talk to you, you avoid eye contact or you do weird shit with your hands. It's really impolite-"

"Mom, can we not do this right now, please?"

"See what I mean?" her mom replied with an exasperated chuckle. "You just cut me off!" she said, annoyed as though she didn't do the same thing just moments before. "I think I'm gonna talk to that boss of yours. I just don't trust that you-"

With that, Robin hung up the phone.

It rang again only moments later and Robin shrunk behind the counter, staring at it with dread as it continued to ring. Thankfully, Steve came out of the bathroom moments later, saw the situation, and quickly picked up the phone.

"Hey. You're calling Family Video. My name is... This is a company phone line and not the intended use for this number... Ma'am, I understand that you're frustrated, but you can't speak to me like that... Robin is doing great at her job... Whatever"

He hung up the phone and sat next to Robin on the ground. The pair was silent for a moment before Steve decided to speak up.

"You don't have to worry about getting fired or anything cause of her, trust me" he chuckled. "They need a little more than your mother not liking you to warrant firing you"

"I'm sorry" Robin said solemnly. Steve tilted his head in confusion. "For... Well, I told her not to call me over that number unless it had to do with a movie, but I'm thinking I shouldn't have told her the number anyways" she apologized. "And I'm sorry if I'm difficult or make work difficult or if I-"

"Robin, it's okay" Steve cut her off with a weak smile. "You're not difficult. Even if you were, I care about you and I wouldn't abandon you or hate you over any minor difficulties, okay?"

"Okay..."

"Now, get up" he told her as he stood up himself. "We still have a few more hours until closing and I'm not organizing the new tapes myself"

"Right, yeah"

Do not repost on other sites! If you want to participate in this month's challenge, there are 15 Autism prompts that you can find here

[absolutelyahuman]

My father has just issued an ultimatum that if I do not stop 'complaining about my mental issues' (I have ADHD), I will get my devices taken away. He is of the opinion that these things are the cause of the things that I know are ADHD symptoms.

I guess now I'm not able to seek help or attempt to explain how my ADHD makes day to day tasks hard without getting one of my major stimulation lifelines, my headphones, taken away. I'm now unable to act neurodivergent in the slightest just so that I can keep my sources of contact to the outside world.

If I disappear from this site, you'll know why.

[alex-j-tics]

For the disability pride asks—13 and 15?

13. Whats the most Abled Person Thing someone has said to you?

Probably that “these days anyone can get aderall if they say they can’t focus”(by two ppl, one a young adult the other a teen)… or maybe that time a kid kept copying my tics which kept triggering them again and told me “you look so funny- you just keep going *imitates tic*!” He thought it was such a game ughhh fuck that kid (this was a while back, he was my age. I did not get into beef w a 10 y/o last month ok)

15. What does disability pride mean to you?

I think it really means self love more than anything. It’s really hard to be proud of something that disables you, but it’s something you cannot fix—that is a part of you wether you like it or not… so when you are proud of yourself, disabled and all, it truly becomes something that makes you stronger— I think it’s loving yourself as you are without ignoring the fact you need extra help/ are different than others. Being proud of the thing that makes you you! (Even though it sucks sometimes)

I hope I explained that last one well, I tried to reword for easier comprehension lol, thank you for the ask friend!

[disposabletapedispenser]

tw: torture, ableism

https://chng.it/y79PV2cfkMif you do not want to read about the following potentially triggering topics, please skip past this post. take care of yourselves. 

hi, tumblr. this isn’t a happy topic, and i’m literally shaking while writing this. i am autistic and neurodivergent, and this has shaken me to my core. it is still legal to torture disabled people in the united states in order to modify “unwanted” behaviors linked to disobedience or disability. 

the judge rotenberg center uses electric shock to cruelly punish the following, and more, behaviors.

-stimming or unwanted movements and noises linked to disability

-standing up from a chair

-going to the bathroom in clothing after being denied the right to use the bathroom

-not taking off a sweater

-screaming in pain during shocking

the ged (graduated electronic decelerator) is a torture device. shock therapy has been classed as torture in the uk. it is being used against disabled people and children. the side effects of the torture include third degree burns, ptsd, and more. some people were first shocked before ten years old. 

THIS HAS TO FUCKING STOP. the violent dehumanization and abuse of people with disabilities is revolting and needs to be ended immediately. 

https://chng.it/y79PV2cfkM

https://autisticadvocacy.org/stoptheshock/

(warning: this has clips of electric shock torture in which a teenage patient screams in pain. viewer discretion advised) https://youtu.be/BxtZXUheQ8E

https://nymag.com/news/features/andre-mccollins-rotenberg-center-2012-9/

[simplythgirl]

This always broke my heart as a kid I lost my eye so it looks lazy and SO SO many evil characters have obvious lazy eyes. represented comically. This is everywhere in the media not just horror. Also fatphobia a lot of evil characters are big. If the woman is big shes a stick in the mud, evil, or just there to be comical, I hate it.

if u consider yourself a horror fan you like NEED to be aware and educated on the ableism thats been put at the heart of so much horror. like... is that character actually scary or do they just have a limp/scars/disfigurement that real normal people have irl and have to see depicted as horrifying and dehumanizing? if you think any of those things or things like it are scary in ANY context you need to step away from the horror genre and familiarize yourself with the fact that people can and do look like that and they do not deserve to be an object of fear

[aacalienz]

My support needs are not being met living with my parents. I’m not homeless anymore and they took me back. But they still treat me as non disabled for the most part, which just sets me up to fail. They expect me to be fully speaking and I just can’t measure up.

[crippledwithrage]

"He was disabled," the able-bodied human wrote, "but he could still love; he could still be human"

*I wonder why no one likes my stories of disabled people... oh I know!*

"Their relationship was fractured and they loved each other less, because he's a (insert slur) now but they're growing. She no longer strands him without his mobility aid when they fight and instead takes his communication cards. "

They stand and leave their desk

*ahh romance*