#self advocacy

[crazycatsiren]

The most important lesson I've learned since becoming disabled, navigating this world that inherently hates disabled people? If you don't advocate for yourself, then no one will.

This truly applies to all areas of life, too. If you sell yourself short, then shorter than short is what you're going to get. If you settle for less, then you're going to receive less than less.

The only way to go is standing by what you're entitled to and standing firm with what you deserve. If you don't ask for it, then no one's going to offer to you. If you don't speak loud and clear, then no one's going to hear you.

[snakeautistic]

I’m really bad at advocating for myself because I find my ability to communicate is extremely limited under stress. It’s frustrating because I will be struggling overstimulation or overwhelm that could be eased by simply going somewhere different, or asking a clarifying question, but while in this state I do not have the ability to communicate with people around me. Part of this is just the social effort of it all, but it also has to do with the shame I feel for asking for ‘special treatment’ or bothering people.

An example of this was recently when I was retaking my math test and the room was extremely noisy, making it hard to focus. Now, due to my accommodations I’m sure I would have been allowed to ask to be moved somewhere quieter, but at that time I wasn’t able to muster up the social energy communicate that. Another example is when I sometimes unfortunately break down in class, and begin to sob. I would feel a lot better if I went to the bathroom to cool down, but I am not in the state to communicate this and ask to leave , so I wait until an adult takes pity on me and tells me directly I should probably go cool off.

[ididoktoday]

I bet you did the best you could today.

May you come to see that performance as the most any human could ever ask of you.

I bet you made the best choices you could with the information you have.

May you come to understand all the lessons the Universe has to teach you.

I bet you regulated your emotions with as much skill as you were taught by those who cared for you when you were young.

May you come to befriend your full spectrum of emotions and come to see them as helpful information that you engage with consciously and curiously.

I bet you cared for your body with as much love as you’ve been led to believe you deserve.

May you come to see yourself as deserving as much love as the whole Universe holds.

[schar-aac]

"cognitive accessibility"

image: a thought bubble over a ramp. the ramp is light brown and has an arrow pointing up it.

"cognitive inaccessibility"

image: a thought bubble trying to float up stairs. the stairs are light brown and have an arrow pointing up, stopped by a 'stop' or 'pause' symbol.

[fatliberation]

Do you have any resources on going to the doctors while fat? Im tired of not being taken seriously, and I dont want to potentially trigger an ED relapse cause my weight was measured.

Oh, you know I do!! ✨

So, you actually do not have to be weighed at your doctor’s visit! You can explain to them that it is triggering for you, or you can simply opt-out and say “I’d like to decline being weighed today.” If you have to be weighed for something such as anesthesia or medication dosage, you can request a blind weigh-in, where you step on the scale backwards and the nurse will not show you the number they write down. You can also close your eyes.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable, you can go home at any time. Get up and walk away. Not feeling good about the experience is enough reason to end the appointment. You can say:

“I’m really uncomfortable in this appointment. I am going to put my clothes back on and leave.”

“I’m feeling overwhelmed right now. Can we reschedule this appointment?”

You don’t have to explain yourself to your doctor, and don’t worry, they’ve likely experienced this before. It’s written in the patients’ bill of rights that you have the right to refuse medical treatment that’s recommended by your physician and that you should be able to work with your doctor on mutually agreeable terms.

You may also request an online or phone appointment instead of in person. It’s f*cking ridiculous that this is actually true, but since covid began a lot of fat people have been receiving better care over telemedicine because our bodies are less visible.

If you get pushback from your provider, I recommend finding a new doctor. Your boundaries should be respected. Health At Every Size has resources to help you find a practitioner who will focus on your health independent from weight. (And here’s a list of fat friendly practicing health professionals by fatfriendlydocs.com. If you’re in the U.S., you can look them up by state.)

In the meantime, setting boundaries is your last resort. Let your doctor know that you are uninterested in pursuing weight loss, that dieting is a predictor to developing an ED, (and in your case, severely triggering for the ED you’ve already been struggling with). Ask them what treatment they would recommend for someone in a thin body, and request that they treat you the same.

If they don’t, ask them to make notes of the conditions they’re dismissing based on your weight. “Can you please make a note that you refused to test me for X on my file?” This might change their mind, or at least when you see someone else it’ll be on your notes and that other GP will (hopefully) take you seriously.

Here’s a video by @classyfattybabe that shows an example of this and other specific phrases to set boundaries with your doctor.

I am so sorry you have to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office. No one should ever have to go through this. My heart is with you. Best of luck at your next visit, love ❤️

[whateverdays-art]

hi two more as promised!!

don't touch my aac device

don't touch me

please enjoy and don't forget you can support me on ko-fi, too!

[petrichoremojis]

IDs in alt

some different symbols for different types of bigots, intended for use on self-advocacy boards and to call people out on bigotry. noticed that TD Snap is woefully lacking in symbols to discuss bigotry and since lots of AAC users face lots different types, figured important to make symbols for

am intending to do symbols as well for other types of bigotries, not just this. still need ideas for some, like, not sure what to put for racist one, but think is important have symbol call out racism. feel free to request and/or suggest

these specifically are, top to bottom left to right: homophobe, lesphobe/lesbophobe, queerphobe, misogynist, ableist, audist, transphobe, transmisogynist, acephobe, and arophobe

[moonlit-positivity]

Affirmations for self forgiveness

I am allowed to be messy

I am allowed to bother people with my messiness

I am allowed to my emergencies

I am allowed to my despair

I am allowed to my panic attacks, my anxiety, and my anger and rage

I am allowed to be a bitch

I am allowed to be difficult

I am allowed to be an asshole

I am allowed to exist in these present and past versions of who I needed to be at that time

I am allowed to find compassion for these parts of me just as much as my other parts

I am allowed to understand these parts of me were who I needed to be in order to survive that shit and get out

I am allowed to reminisce and ruminate on the past

I am allowed to intellectualize and find sense of it all

I am allowed to get it right

I am allowed to get it wrong

I am allowed to sit and dwell for however long I need to before I'm done with it

I am allowed to show up my unapologetic worst and still find compassion for who I need to be

I am allowed to be flawed

I am allowed to be flawed and still find moments to love myself for it

I am allowed to trust my voice

I am allowed to trust my mistakes

I am allowed to trust in my progress

I am allowed to exist as I am without the need to criticize or nitpick every little thing

I am comfortable allowing my shadows to exist right beside me

I am walking a path of acceptance for all that I am

I will stop denying these parts of my existence

I will instead find ways to be nice to them and help us all find courage and strength to walk together

I am strong and capable of understanding both my good and bad qualities and harboring compassion for who I am and who I've been

I am allowed to like these parts of me, too

I am allowed to live and breathe despite what others have made me feel about myself

I am allowed. Period.

[actuallyaj]

Today I wanted to share just a little bit of my AAC device. I use the app called coughdrop on my Amazon kids tablet. I have basic communication boards like the ones shown including my home board. Something cool I recently added was a visual support section with coping skill graphics and reminders for myself while waiting, talking and taking turns in conversation, and much more.

[autville]

welcome autville, a community of autism acceptance! no need to mask your autism traits around these parts; we’re all autistic here! self-diagnosed and questioning folks are always welcome.

stay tuned and follow along for community bulletins and reports about general goings-on.

see ya around town!

[serenityquest]

[daughterofanarcissistwoman]

[littleautiebird]

How did I realize my autism?

Its funny, in my youth, one thing I was worried so much about was making sure I acted “normal” so that no one would assume I was autistic (this being before I knew anything about autism or truly suspected it of myself.)

It wasn’t until one day as I was pet sitting (at age 23) that made me look into the idea.

I crawled into bed and the texture of the sheets physically made my teeth hurt. I knew it seemed silly, so I texted my best friend and asked her if she ever experiences anything like that, to which she of course said no and jokingly pointed out that its an autistic trait. I responded “wait though, I’ve kind of wondered if I am autistic multiple times in my life before…” She then encouraged me to look into it if I really wondered.

That was the start of it. I went on social media, websites, found books and podcasts, and I started my personal research. I read so many things that week in all my free time, spending many late nights just reading and taking notes. I probably filled about half my journal with these thoughts and observations.

I went through many phases of imposter syndrome, and still do. But I started to put more effort into believing my experience and intuition.

I was able to find a Phycologist near me who was known to be qualified for assessing adults for ASD. I emailed and not too long after was able to get a meeting on the calendar!

In my experience, this whole process has moved pretty quickly, which I am so grateful for because I know many don’t get that same chance.

Just yesterday I had my assessment. I think I feel good about it, but also some anxiety. I’ll have my follow up meeting on the 13th of this month, so I guess we’ll see!

Thanks for reading my experience 🖤

[schar-aac]

"demonisation"

image descriptions in alt text

[mi-rilon]

my whole life i’ve been scared of men

what they’ve done to me has broken my soul

but it’s at the point where i don’t want to be afraid anymore

i want to live without fear of what a man will do to me

and i’ll see how long it takes for that hope to be destroyed