#franklin tcm

[sweetcornbread666]

Franklin is one of the only people that even remotely gives a shit about general human affairs (kirk second) and wellbeing on that whole god damn ride like yeah i would be miserable too !! Hes trapped in that van for however-many ass hours just bored to death, picking at his nails etc very sad !!

[bakllori]

Btw i really like his room

[evilvalentin3]

WHAT TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE DID YALL WATCH /ref

[skeletons-and-roses]

Tcm 1974 deleted scenes

(Original meme by sweepswoop_ on twitter)

[darticous]

Nubbinheads ARISE

[worrygutz]

[z0mbiebatz]

Some franknub!!

I can't stop thinking about these two, probably the only two compatable people.

And also my sona hugging Franklin

[charleslee-valentine]

they never claimed to be put together.

[noodle8]

da silly scrumbies :)

[oh-shit-i-spilled-my-genderfluid]

Did a quick Franklin drawing, trying to get used to Procreate

Franklin is probably my favorite character from tcm, besides the Sawyers. I was genuinely sad over his death:(

[mozo-bozo]

Remember, horse meat consumption is prohibited in the United States.

[bakllori]

just gays doing gay things, keep scrolling

[stupideo12]

Bleh

Plus bonus

[evilvalentin3]

they are bringing out something so middle school in my art

i am cringe but free 🦇

[z0mbiebatz]

TCM art!!

some more TCM art. Some of it's kinda old, idk my art style is inconsistent.

Thought it be kinda funny, silly little picture of dinner.

Not sure how people feel about franknubs, but have some art of them too!!

[charleslee-valentine]

Franklin Hardesty Enright and disability.

So Franklin is a wheelchair user, presumably a paraplegic full-time user. But his chair is not designed for independence. His is a folding frame, as we know because we see it folded up in the Sawyers’ kitchen.

Folding frames are known for being very low cost, so they’re some of the most common, such as in stores, hospitals, zoos, and amusement parks where they’re available to rent. However, an independent wheelchair user probably won’t be able to use one full time.

For starters, their shock absorption is awful. Every speed bump, crack, or blemish in the ground makes the entire frame rattle and bend. This can range from destabilizing and disorienting to downright painful for the user. In the case of being pushed by someone else using the handles on the back, the frame still shifts, and often deviates from a straight path, rocking and gliding side to side. These movements are so subtle, they’re usually only noticed by the individual in the chair.

Wheelchairs are also quite heavy to begin with, and folding frames are some of the heaviest. It takes a large amount of force to propel a folding wheelchair forward. Getting over doorframes can be a pretty extreme feat, let alone climbing stairs in one like Franklin did. His complaints in that moment were well goddamn earned considering I got stuck on a supposedly accessible door just the other day.

An independent wheelchair, known as a rigid frame chair, is designed to prevent these flaws. It will have better balance, so it can be tipped back onto its back wheels. Experienced users would likely be able to climb small porch stairs relatively painlessly (although still hard, just less excruciating.)

Rigid chairs also often do not have arm rests, allowing a larger range of motion and longer, easier strides in the chair. Distance traveled takes less effort and it the friction from manually propelling the wheels is reduced. When the friction is too high, users will get blisters and sores on their hands from even minutes of use. Other ways this can be avoided is tilted wheels and gloves. Franklin notably has neither of these, because tilted wheels come on rigid frames themselves, and it’s probably too damn hot to wear gloves, even the ones designed to be worn at all times.

Independent/rigid wheelchairs often look something like these examples:

Another precaution paraplegic wheelchair users often take for their safety and comfort is a wheelchair cushion. Nowadays, they can be scanned and fitted perfectly to a wheelchair user, but back in Franklin’s day, there were already cushions he could’ve gotten. For even a couple of dollars, just a little foam pad would’ve meant a world of difference to his body, but seeing as we would’ve noticed one when he tumbled down the hill, he doesn’t use one.

If you’re like me, you might’ve wondered why Franklin doesn’t have any of these things.

There’s actually virtually no reason.

Modern independent frames were already on the market in the 70s and being developed with additional features and reducing the weight around the time of tcm canon.

Here’s a photo from 1970 of various types of wheelchairs including independent frames:

Not only is his wheelchair behind the times, so is using wooden slats to enter the van. Lifts had existed since 1966!

To be specific, his wheelchair is a 1950s design.

This is his frame almost exactly, which was a 50s Everest and Jennings design that was still in production without any advancements or changes into the 70s.

So Franklin could hypothetically have a new wheelchair, but looking at the picture above, this wheelchair came with leg pads. Franklin’s doesn’t have those anymore.

Either he removed them or they were missing from his chair when he got it, and I see no reason why a man with paralyzed legs would remove support from his wheelchair. Franklin may have an older, second hand wheelchair.

At the very least, he almost definitely is using the wrong kind of frame for his needs, and with no additional technology to support him.

Still, all that being said, it’s important to remember that Franklin may *want* a folding frame wheelchair.

I myself am an ambulatory wheelchair user, with a pain disorder that makes it impossible to propel myself for more than a couple minutes at the most. I *need* someone to push me most of the time.

The question isn’t about why Franklin isn’t doing this or that or buying this, it’s about why isn’t anybody helping him.

Motorized chairs had existed commercially since the 50s, he could have one of those, except they were still very expensive and also extremely fragile. He may very well use one in normal situations, but he’s on a road trip, not navigating his safe home. Franklin is relying on somebody to help him, and they don’t :(

His frustration with Sally when she’s pushing his chair isn’t because he’s ungrateful, it’s because he’s not being listened to and hasn’t been all day. Given that trust to someone is hard, especially if the chair he’s using is temporary and he’s normally self propelling when he’s not rolling down hills in the woods at night.

Ableds will never understand the frustration of asking somebody to help you get around, only for them to get mad at you when you advise them they’re doing something wrong or unsafe with you. Imagine someone else controlling your legs and getting mad when you tell them which direction you’d like to go.

And in Franklins case, he can’t very well stand up and do it by himself. We might not know the specifics of his disability, but we do know he’s paralyzed.

Sure, he’s able to shift and turn and lean from the waist, but his legs and hips never move. Paul Partain was pretty dedicated to portraying Franklin and even when rolling down the hill or dragging himself up the steps doesn’t move his legs.

While it isn’t ever specified his exact condition, Franklin is dependent on his friends. But they let him down, and even bullied him for his emotions about that let down. And in the end, he’s the one that is killed for it, without even entering somebody else’s property willingly like the rest of them.

Franklin Hardesty deserves goddamn better. In universe, and in fandom spaces where he’s treated as deserving of his death for *daring* to complain about using already outdated disability tech that doesn’t meet his needs. Oh, and being called an offensive term from the 1920s and before in the opening of the film.

But let’s say “invalid” was a good word to use for him. That word usually means someone is not only disabled, but also sick or weak to the point of needing care and assistance. If Franklin is having this word used to describe him, it should at least be recognized that he’s not capable of dragging himself around in the middle of nowhere!! Like if they just absolutely have to call him that, the least they can do is even know what it means and not throw him to the damn dogs.