#progressive disabilties

[duality-disability]

happy disability pride month to those with degenerative/progressive disabilites:

-Those who know what their disability is and why its getting worse

-Those whos disability hasnt been diagnosed yet but the symptoms and degenerative nature of their illness is still taking effect

-and those who have to watch their bodies steadily decline while their healthcare professionals refuse to treat them (for no fault of their own)

-to the ones who are told they are too young to have their body declining

-'too young' to be using their mobility aids, or seeing certain specialists, or who notice they're the youngest patients in certain clinics by years if not decades

You deserve to be seen, and heard, and supported; You deserve kindness and respect and to be taken seriously about your medical concerns and the nature of your disability/ies

having a degenerative disease can be really fucking scary, I wish that tomorrow is kinder than today was.

[manyminded]

hey. I dunno who needs to hear this today. but

you are not wrong for getting better. You are not betraying our community. you are not a bad person for trying to prevent others from falling into it. you are not hurting anyone by easing the pain for yourself.

disability is a hard, hard thing. being able to climb up to feeling better, tooth and nail, is an incredibly difficult process. but abled people tend to forget that there is a community here. there is a home to this pain. it has shaped us and our lives. our identities might be forever impacted by that.

you are not forgoing that by healing. it’s okay to get better. it’s okay to work towards being better. you are not betraying, forgetting, or abandoning us. it can be hard not to target yourself or others about this ‘crime,’ but I want you to know that it’s okay.

I believe in you.

[bonnibelleangelica]

Concept For My Book:

I’m creating this mute character that gets close with my blind character. Obviously, this will be a tricky dynamic to manage communication-wise.

Is it cool as hell to give them a mutated raven that can interpret the mute character’s signs? Like it can’t understand them or talk on its own, but it can say the character’s name, spell things out using finger signing, or idk, grab peoples attention?

Is it sick as hell or should i keep thinking?

[arenabreadandbiscuits]

Y'all seen my other ADAMSAPPLE post?? Ughhhh they got me. 🤦🏾 As an aspec radiostatic and Adamsapple just hit different I swear. Like the angst, the TRAUMA?? the make up loving? The apologies? LORD HELP 😩😩😩

Here's some wips I started today. Watch me cook 🤭🫣✨

🔞 Wips below the cut! Teehee (Adult ONLY account and content) 🔞

I tolerate skinny Adam but Lord... As a plus size person with body image issues I like drawing pookie all plump and round 🫡

(Lucifer really hitting that shii tho, bro can definitely shape shift his weenie when he needs to. That's the only reason he keep pulling these fine ass tall hos..)

(am I jealous it ain't me??...shut up. Hmph.)

UPDATE PIC as of rn:

Line art finna go HARD 😩

Edit: MAAAAN I was sitting here for the longest time looking at that bottom left corner because I was feeling like something was off and I was right 😭🫣

Compared to the first pic the head wasn't looking tilted enough and YOOO I thought about it earlier and still had to come back and change it lolol. Can't bullshit art I guess ^^``

[learningfromlosing]

Yeah went outside 💅🏻 no big deal. Some people could be scared but me? I was so brave

[dhddmods]

Made the tiniest bit of adjustment to this flag, to neaten the lines.

This flag is BEAUTIFUL! Please please PLEASE reblog and popularize this! Disabled queer people still are left out of so many LGBTQIA+ conversations, and even pride month or queer spaces (ie; queer bars) don't have sufficient accommodations for them.

If you don't already know, this flag is based on the previously existing disability flag(s).

I was sad seeing the ‘inclusivity flag’ did not mention disabled people at all. Disabled people are often left out of pride events due to a lack of accessibility, being thought of as being unable to communicate their queerness and infantalisation of disabled people.

I propose this flag which includes zigzag stripes and more muted colours as a reference to the disability flag. Because queer, disabled people are so often left out from pride events it is important we be remembered.

[Alt text two versions of the inclusivity flag - one of which includes the intersex flag. 

Both of these inclusivity flags have been made to have more muted colours and the rainbows zig-zagging down the flag, akin to that of a disability flag. 

There is a dark grey background in the gaps at the top and bottom of the flag.]

[signanothername]

Am i the only one who thinks that demonizing Ink's soullessness has a bit of ableist undertones??

According to the Undertale Wiki, A soul in Undertale 'is the very essence of one's being, whether one is human or monster. It plays a crucial role in the progression and plot of Undertale'. A soul affects a monster's physical and mental conditions, as in they die without being one. So basically, i think that any kind of issues regarding someone's soul would de considered a disabilty in the Undertale universe.

There's a very great level of disabilty coding in regards to Ink's character, as in he's completly unable to function normally (he's stated as becoming unable to think,talk,move, communicate etc....) and relies on his vials to live as a 'semi-normal' monster being (his vials are extremly similar to medication/mobility aid). Not only that! But he also has issues with channeling his magic even with the effects of his vials! (Broomie works as a vessel for his powers, as in being able to have more precision and range). There's also the fact that Ink can't fight for very long because his limited magic abilities cause him to be easily exhausted/overstimulated. (He's also semi implied as having internalized ableism too? He's at least extremly insecure about his condition)

The whole point of Ink's character is that he wants to live life the way he can, but not the way he wants. His soullessness limits him by a bunch, but that won't stop him from doing the activites he likes! (like art, playing the flute, learning how to sew etc....). He's about how disabilities can affect your life in various bad ways but also how self-acceptence is important

Anon you fucking get it and I love you /p

That’s exactly why i put “fix” in quotes in that post, i was basically implying about the ableist undertones in that idea of “fixing” Ink

People can never accept what they don’t understand, you unfortunately have to fit in with what is considered the “norm” for people to accept you

And isn’t it sad that Ink canonically doesn’t feel happy about who he is?

Ink is obviously disabled but a lot of people just won’t acknowledge it unfortunately </3

[ndcultureis]

ND culture is keeping a list in your mind of progressive youtubers who mention disabilty casually and often (Some even NT passing) Just in general keeping a list of people aware disabilty is a minority which matters.

.

[whiteoutzz]

Hi! Is it ok if you elaborate and/or explain how disabled characters within Wings of Fire aren’t treated well and/or written well within the series (and/or that Wings of Fire is very weird about disabled characters) please?

sorry it took me a bit anon, but i needed to gather my thoughts.

But basically; while there is alot i could focus on, that even with disabled characters that are good, their disabilty isn't really all that researched (both starflight and tamarin for example, but i don't know enough to make a whole post about them), or how narrative often treats them as disposable or not as important as rest of the characters (ospery literally exist just to be killed. and yes alot of characters die in wof, but he is one book and then is killed off for other characters progression) (also whiteout. but i will make analysis of her another time). or whatever stonemover had going on.

and even with jerboa iii / boa, she hides her missing talons out of shame in her story, but it almost seems like its so the auhtor is more comofrtable with her, and idunno maybe she stops doing that later but it does feel gross to me. < and yes i am aware that loss of her talons was in a traumatic way but it doesn't really justify it, especially with how other disabled characters are written.

and even fucking Scarlet, who is disabled as a punishment (in the narrative, not the story itself. also she hides her scar in some instances with animus magic, and yes im especially including her).

clay's disability is mostly forgotten both by books and fandom, and much more.

but i do think one of the things that angers me the most is chameleon, and how you can't really fix that without literally not making him a villain. HIS WHOLE MOTIVATION is that is he is disabled, angry at the ableism, and changing himself due to that. and greed too i guess, but you can't really ingore the disability part, and i just look at how he is written. HE IS LITERALLY EVIL BECAUSE HE IS DISABLED... in text he has a facial difference (even if he is rarley drawn with it), a sleeping disorder, and of course, not being able to change his scales. its the most visible one in fact. he is kicked out from his kingdom literally because he is disabled, and he is angry, and finds the scroll, and does evil things or whatever. (and also has peril and is a questionable father).

I can't really describe how angry i am at his character existing. And you can't fix him! At best you could have rainwings with his disability who aren't evil, but even then, his motivation is that he is disabled, and its his primary motivation. It fuels his anger, its why he takes on multiple forms, its why he attacks Kinkajou, its probably why he tries to change Peril. < also greed, but im ignoring this on purpouse because it isnt relevant to the discussion and it doesn't erase the fact that his main motivation is that he is angry because he is disabled and how he changes himself into different dragons, and how he has distain for other rainwings, all that.

Why is it a problem? Well because it implies disability can make you evil and also even if we are symphatetic to Chameleon, there is no solution for his anger. The problems aren't fixed. And we never get another Rainwing character who can't change their scales. His evilness is tied to his disability, both of them connected. If one was to fix that, you would need to redeem him or not make him a villain in the first place, but then what is the point of his character. Its not just lack of reaserch or few things in poor taste, ITS HIS WHOLE CHARACTER!

And for the record, im not calling tui an evil horrible bigot, but she is not immune to bias. Its not just ableism of course, series has other issues, but its really really glaring.

Coming back to some characters; how Boa hides her disabilty, its of course of internalized ableism, but characters do not exist in a vaccum. Blind characters are commonly potrayed with cataracts (clody, foggy eyes), regardless of their actual type of blindess, or with something covering their eyes (like a blindfold). disabled characters are often killed off or not important to the narrative. While we do have few disabled protagonist, its after their pov, so we don't get a point of view of a character who is disabled.

Im probably missing something, but i think its enough things to say hey. Wings of Fire has ableism problem.

*also i didnt read book 15 or the guide so if im missing something else important im sorry i didnt really know

and i apologize if its written messy and has grammar and spelling mistakes and if i got something wrong but my point still stands even if i missed something or didnt explore somethings nuance entirely or got something wrong.

ok thats all . i think.

[mysteryteacup]

I am once again tired of people talking about GRRM like he's the first ever author to write grimdark and pretending he's the best at it and the best researched/most realistic and the most progressive. Because he's not.

A comparison of two very similar characters (one of Martin's one of an author who was writing grimdark before Martin) for the purposes of illustrating the point:

NOTE: I do not hate Daenerys or ASOIAF - even though Martin himself is a POS for multiple reasons that end in ist/ism. This is about the way Cook V Martin handle writing certain topics and what their choices say about the worldview and ideas their works support.

Reasons Glen Cook The Chronicles of the Black Company (1984-2000 complete)'s prophesised blonde orphaned heroine of a grimdark fantasy series is better than GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire (1991-unfinished) prophesised blonde orphaned heroine of a grimdark fantasy series:

Daenerys gets her power from her super special bloodline that she feels gives her the right to conquer everyone else.

Darling gets her power from who the fuck knows, she's just some random farm kid, no weird divine right of kings or eugenics-adjacent apologetica.

Daenerys has no military training and wins her battles by the power of "i guess you didn't think a girl could" and extremely guessable tactics that require her opponents to not think about the obvious (sewers, immediate deal betrayal, etc).

Darling is raised by a mercenary company and wins her battles by the power of actual military tactics.

Daenerys is at risk of Hollywood style "madness" with all the shitty ableist tropes that includes.

Darling is born deaf and mute and learns to communicate with sign language but is not defined by her disabilities - she's an actually disabled heroine whose disabilty is treated respectfully by the author.

Daenerys breasts are regularly described in a it's-clear-the-author's-a-cishet man kind of way in circumstances she would absolutely not be thinking about them (especially not like that).

Darling isn't thinking about her boobs or described by them at inappropriate times (no GRMM, no one with boobs is just randomly thinking about them bouncing as they ride a horse without also thinking about it being sweaty, uncomfortable, and a sign they need a better support garment).

Daenerys' prophecy (GRRM confirmed she, not Jon, is supposed to be the prophecised one) is about how only someone from her super special bloodline from her super special ethnic group could possibly end the magical threat that a completely different ethnic group - that her family conquered to "save" - can't possibly fix by themselves (it remains unclear if GRRM or the two producers are responsible for Arya landing the final blow).

Darling's prophecy is about a local threat whose saviour will come from the local people, no weird colonisation apologetica.

Daenerys' writer has never been in a military and despite claiming to be very anti-war, his story revolves around the idea that sometimes it's important for a very special blonde family to conquer other people for their own good.

Darling's writer is a military veteran who actually shows realistic horrors of war (so much so that Black Company is a favourite for a lot of people who've been in the military, because it's so realisitc) and shows the importance of regular people of no special background standing up to evil.

Daenery's author claims to be "subverting" and "deconstructing" fantasy tropes like rightful kings but still falls into those tropes with things like all his main POVs being nobility.

Darling's author actually avoids those traditional fantasy tropes and he doesn't puff himself up about it.

Again, this is not about bashing Daenerys. This is not saying GRRM is a bad writer. He's just not the best that ever was or the father of the genre as way too many people who clearly don't read grimdark like to claim.

It's that disability, gender, assault, etc in grimdark fantasy are better handled by Cook than by Martin. (Excluding Port of Shadows, a book so bad and so full or random pseudo-Japanese stuff out of nowhere that it really does read like someone ghost-wrote it foor Cook.)

And the thing is? If Martin and his fans weren't claiming that he's subverting and deconstructing and historically accurate (he's not. Every fucking time he makes that claim a dozen or so top medieval historians come out of the wood work to say no, everything you just claimed is accurate is a Victorian invention) then there would be no reason to make this comparison.

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

We've come along way when it comes to like mental health awareness, disabilty (chronic illness) awareness, not getting on woman's backs for not marrying at a certain time, et cetera. It's not where it should be but it's come a long way from like the early 00's.

Yep and as long as we keep making safe spaces for people to talk about these things and keep voting to ensure we can take care of each other and keep and advance the rights we have, we can hopefully keep progressing further.

(Reminder to my pals in the US to please vote in your election on November 5 and support the party that isn’t trying to roll back rights to the dark ages and usher in permanent fascism because everything the US does affects the rest of the world.)

[benjaminallhope-fulltimemind]

well @uslysseus the thing is about society is that even then Capitalism ignores groups of people if they aren't viewed as profitable, for example the American beauty industry didn't make products for black people and what was made was to allow black people to lighten their skin color. This stopped during the 1960s civil rights movement and sub movement "black is beautiful" which pushed against racist motions of white centric beauty. So if a large portion of the American populace can be ignored for decades then what about smaller minorities like disabled people? Trickle down products isn't enough, we need to directly produce accommodations and aids for all forms of disabled people without any expectations of profit.

My random thoughts about milk.

I know most people think it's ridiculous but honestly milk and the various alternatives to it are a clear sign of capitalism and exploitation. Not many people think about or care about the widespread exploitation of cattle to harvest milk for everyday use, even then people dismiss alternatives to this industrial scale exploitation for a wide variety of reasons often fed by capitalist propaganda and misunderstanding. It really shows the capitalist realism that grips most people, to them they can't understand or really conceive of a system that doesn't entail widespread exploitation of other living beings and they look down on others who can see and try to achieve systems that don't involve it. Just my random thoughts.

[badlibbing]

Did you know that Neopets has been releasing a bunch of disability-related in-game items?

The first batch to be released included a service Petpet (service "dog") and an AAC device, introduced on March 2nd!

Off to a fantastic start here, representing folks in need of service animals for health reasons and people with speech difficulties!

Next, on March 7th, there came a walking cane for the visually impaired, a portable IV drip for those with special medication needs, and a portable oxygen machine for those with breathing difficulties.

But wait, there's more!

March 9th saw the release of two book items, relating to the use of braille and sign language for the visually impaired and hearing impaired, respectively.

And the most recent release, on today, March 14th, gives us these spiffy wheeled walkers in case your Neopet needs a little extra help getting around.

(Note that it is unlikely for wheelchair items to be released due to most Neopets being in a standing position in their artwork.)

TNT (The Neopets Team) has been going above and beyond in recent months in terms of representation, owing largely in part to new staff members with new ideas. It makes me happy that people who need these kinds of tools in real life can make their favorite pets feel a little more like them! I'll be sure to update if/when more stuff comes along.

All images and release date information provided by Jellyneo's Item Database.

[kikithebooknerd]

~ Do not mistake progress for a solution. Do not use progress as an excuse. ~

A little reminder that just because things are better than they use to be, just because things aren't like they were in the past, doesn't mean that the problem has disappeared.

"well at least it's not like it use to be", "well at least now you can...", "Well at least most people aren't like that anymore". → Stop using progress to excuse harmful behaviours because, guess what, all those things you think have disappeared have not.

Ableism, homophobia, racism, sexism, and more are all still shockingly prevalent in society today. It's systemic, it's subtle, and it has been ingrained into our norms to the point of total normality. The only difference is now we have made progress which is used as a cover to hide these ingrained systems of oppression.

How do I know this? Because everytime I argue for LGBTQ+ rights, for BLM, for Disabled Rights and for Feminism the first thing that comes out of the other person's mouth is "well at least it's not as bad as it was in the past". But guess what, it still exists, it still disadvantages those of us who are in these minority groups, it still is prevalent to US, we are still being victimised and demonised.

Just because things have seemingly improved doesn't mean the underlying issue has disappeared. I am so so happy to see the progress we have made in society, I am so glad to see my generation, and the generation that is following me, being more open minded, more accepting and kinder.

I'm so thrilled to see us redefining labels, tearing them down, and fighting for each other. But it pains me to see all this progress that so many people have fought for has been weaponised into an excuse to prevent us from dismantling the systems that perpetuate this oppression. I'm pained to see progress being used as an excuse for people to still be -ist and -phobic.

I want to be able to celebrate progress without people turning it against us. I want to celebrate progress but acknowledge that the job is not done.

~ Progress is not an excuse it is a step in the right direction ~

[2-wheeler]

It's weird how different people treat you as your chronic illness progresses.

Friends comfortably joking with eachother.

Family inviting you to all the events.

Strangers walking past you politely.

To:

Friends uncomfortably laughing and watching their words carefully.

Family waiting for you to ask about events instead, and usually offering alternatives of you coming.

Constantly being asked if you need help

To:

Friends disappearing because the situation is too uncomfortable for them.

Family avoiding you.

Always being helped without being asked.

[inprogresstoday]

The Burden of The Misdiagnosed / produced by Lacey Marie Woida for We Come With Water / We Live With Water / That Makes Us Water / I Am Water exhibit.

Each of these stories provide insight into the personal journeys of people living with grief. We ask that you watch each video in its entirety, contribute a comment, and then share to your own social media networks.

This is the second in a series of videos produced in partnership with the Capitol Region Watershed District as part of the Rain Watcher Project, a family centered campaign dedicated to informing the public on our human relationship with water.

We will be posting one video and one link each day for the next 12 days.

The project embraces the idea that we all come from water, we all live in water and we all go with water– that water contains our histories, our relationships, our emotions and it grounds us.

You can also find out more about Dhoua, her artwork and her stories at this link: https://in-progress.org/lacey-woida