disabilityaware - Tumblr blog

[disabilityaware]

My mother kept feeding me dates with details. I told her that I wouldn't remember any of it. I suffer from poor memory. She made a snarky comment about me being like one of her forgetful employees. I told her that my memory is poor due to my diagnosis. Re: my diagnosis, she replied with, "that's baloney."

Denial from family is the worst.

In solidarity,

- A

[disabilityaware]

Re: the 'please offer me a seat' card or button for public transit users: while people should be prepared to offer their seat to these folx in our community, people should also be prepared to give up their seats to those who choose not to use the card or button but ask for a blue seat anyway. Not everyone wants to walk around with those badges on.

In solidarity,

- A

[disabilityaware]

I was at a end-of-summer BBQ recently and there was one attendee who may have been an amputee or born without his limb. He arrived late and I asked the person beside me to offer him a plate (something we do out of courtesy in my culture). This person responded with, "poor guy, doesn't have one hand. If he holds a plate, how will he eat?"

Aside from the fact that this man can put his plate down to fill it up at the food stations, carry it to the patio table, set his plate down, sit down, and eat comfortably, why would it be any able-bodied person's business as to how he will do it? If he cannot do it, he will decline. Instead of withholding *pun intended* an opportunity, why not make it available and let THAT person decide based on their needs and abilities (which they know far better than anyone else) what they want to use to enjoy the food, setting, and gathering.

I think many able-bodied folks try so hard to mean well, to the point of reiterating that they mean well, but they miss the mark. Let people choose. Let choices be made available to them (unless it's in-your-face obvious that they're unable to do it). This one is less obvious and that's simply because the general public isn't aware.

In solidarity,

- A

[disabilityaware]

Assistive devices are part of one's personal space. Always ask for permission before handling a disabled person's assistive device. This includes the less obvious ones like oxygen tanks and communication boards.

In solidarity,

- Aalya

[disabilityaware]

Tips/etiquette for interactions with people who are intellectually disabled: don't over-enunciate. It's condescending. Also, use plain language!

In solidarity,

- A

[disabilityaware]

Quick shoutout to everyone whose disability directly conflicts with their passion.

People who love light and color and photography but have extremely sensitive eyes. People who love food but have digestive disorders and intolerances. People who would play every instrument they could get their hands on but lack dexterity and muscle strength to play. People who can’t make themselves focus long enough to study the field they want to be in. People who want to paint and draw and sculpt but can’t coordinate their hands well enough, or cramp up every time they hold a brush/pencil/tool. People across all passions who face a massive barrier to learning because following a set of instructions is difficult when they don’t feel specific enough.

There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing you’d be good at something and that it’s not your fault you can’t prove it. Especially in a world that seems to only recognize top level picture perfect talent at all times. Your passion isn’t negated by not being able to follow it, and neither is your potential. You’re not lazy. Do what you can and fuck ‘em if they think it’s not good enough.

[disabilityaware]

Something that makes me so so happy is everyone who pays attention to visual accessibility outside of image descriptions. If you are someone who:

Uses dyslexia friendly fonts

Uses large font sizes on your posts/websites/about me pages/etc

Chooses high contrast blog themes

Makes a conscious effort to make images you create/edit clearly defined

Uses primary colours (especially yellow) more than other colours in infographics

You're AWESOME and everyone who has low vision, learning disabilities, or even the slightest amount of visual fatigue thanks you!

[disabilityaware]

Page Through a 19th-Century Embossed U.S. Atlas Designed with Touchable Cartography for Blind Students

[disabilityaware]

Guess where we are?! White board reads (with colourful illustrations and text):

CNIB

WELCOME Diner

LAKE JOE

EVENING

In solidarity,

- A

[disabilityaware]

Annamma, S. A., Connor, D., & Ferri, B. (2013). Dis/ability critical race studies (DisCrit): Theorizing at the intersections of race and dis/ability. Race Ethnicity and Education, 16(1), 1-31.

[disabilityaware]

A disabled person being forced to not use their mobility aid is not something to be proud of. A disabled person pushing themselves past their limits is not something to be proud of. Stop pushing disabled people with your “pride” of them, and shaming others when they stay within their body’s boundaries.

Pain is not something to be proud of.

[disabilityaware]

It isn't your job as a disabled person to be 'inspirational' to others. Your life has depth and complexity, and you are valuable and important no matter what you can/can't do!

[disabilityaware]

my disabled ass, after (1)good day: "obviously I am cured. in fact it may have all been in my head. who can say? now to rejoin society!"

me, the next day: "it has come to my attention that i may be chronically ill."

[disabilityaware]

"Autism and most mental health disorders present differently in Black women…Because autism is looked at through such a White and male lens, people don’t recognize similar behaviors with traditionally feminine or Black interests."

[disabilityaware]

Drug therapy is an art in the hands of the prescriber. - Dr. DK

[disabilityaware]

For Disability Pride Month this is your reminder to include all Mental Illnesses in your advocacy.

That means BPD, NPD, HPD, ASPD, and other Personality Disorders.

That means DID, PDID, UDD, & OSDD.

That means Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Disorders.

[disabilityaware]

Signs From the Disabled LGBTQIA+ Community: submissions by cherubimscloud (top) and fightcovidnola (bottom). Cherubim goes by they/he pronouns and is in New Brunswick, Canada. Xava is out of New Orleans, Louisiana. Both submitted via Instagram.

Signs From the Disabled LGBTQIA+ Community is a project showcasing signs made by disabled LGBTQIA+ community members who feel left behind by the larger queer community. Especially by making pride and queer events inaccessible and not covid safe. All of us deserve to have our voices heard even if we can’t be at an event. All of us deserve community safety.

Submissions are open all month! DM me or send an email. Share with your friends who aren’t on IG. Let me know your name (or how you want to be credited), pronouns, general location if you’d like, and a small blurb if you have one. If you need the email lmk. You do Not need to be Jewish to submit. At the end of the month these submissions will be made into a collage.