In agreement with another disabled friend's rant about "disability inspiration porn" (dear gods, that is actually a thing, and I want to cry).
First, I'm going to quote the entire rant because it is worth quoting.
( Read more... )
And my own reply with rant:
THANK YOU. FUCK YES.
Also, that poster with the skating guy and the little girl where they both have amputated legs and are skating on... what are those? Converted hockey sticks? And it says "The Only Disability In Life Is A Bad Attitude." - Scott Hamilton (I think the guy is Hamilton? I don't know). And I FUCKING RAGE every time I see it.
My friends tell me how powerful I am, how much they feel inspired by my ability to just fucking LIVE MY LIFE alongside all my various disabilities. That's cool. It's not the disability that inspires them; it's the person making the disabilities work with life. Good. Excellent. I want people to see me like that. I want people to say, "Hey, awesome, she does stuff and works with her disabilities to compensate and compromise everything. She is strong because she has to be. I like that. Go her!" They never say, "Aww, look at her, doing stuff despite being disabled... isn't she amazing? I'm so proud and inspired!" Because, ugh. And they all agree. My friends are awesome. Also they don't put up with my shit, because I am human and I make mistakes and we laugh at my slip-ups, because being disabled means being able to laugh at yourself.
I am able to maneuver around my chronic illnesses and find ways around my limitations, rather than trying to push myself to my limits or smash through my limits - which is another bullshit thing. "The only limitations you have are in your mind!" followed by "Tee hee!" And FUCK THAT. I can raise my limits and keep reaching for them. I can find ways to circumvent those limits. But I fucking have my limits, assholes. Shut the fuck up.
Those who know and love me love me for ME, not the fascination of my disability. I am not some fairy tale ideal creature to strive for. I am a gods damn CRIPPLE. I am nobody's hero. I am a fucking gimp. I am a person, a disabled person, a person with disabilities, living my life, not actually caring about how what I do affects non-disabled people. So people can shut up and leave me alone.
I mean, unless I ask for help when my disabilities make it hard for me to do something. And even then, they are not allowed to think of me as inspirational. I am not a Hallmark card. I can be an asshole. I am HUMAN. Quit staring at me with stars in your eyes.
So, yeah... ;-)
Ahhh. I feel better now.
First, I'm going to quote the entire rant because it is worth quoting.
( Read more... )
And my own reply with rant:
THANK YOU. FUCK YES.
Also, that poster with the skating guy and the little girl where they both have amputated legs and are skating on... what are those? Converted hockey sticks? And it says "The Only Disability In Life Is A Bad Attitude." - Scott Hamilton (I think the guy is Hamilton? I don't know). And I FUCKING RAGE every time I see it.
My friends tell me how powerful I am, how much they feel inspired by my ability to just fucking LIVE MY LIFE alongside all my various disabilities. That's cool. It's not the disability that inspires them; it's the person making the disabilities work with life. Good. Excellent. I want people to see me like that. I want people to say, "Hey, awesome, she does stuff and works with her disabilities to compensate and compromise everything. She is strong because she has to be. I like that. Go her!" They never say, "Aww, look at her, doing stuff despite being disabled... isn't she amazing? I'm so proud and inspired!" Because, ugh. And they all agree. My friends are awesome. Also they don't put up with my shit, because I am human and I make mistakes and we laugh at my slip-ups, because being disabled means being able to laugh at yourself.
I am able to maneuver around my chronic illnesses and find ways around my limitations, rather than trying to push myself to my limits or smash through my limits - which is another bullshit thing. "The only limitations you have are in your mind!" followed by "Tee hee!" And FUCK THAT. I can raise my limits and keep reaching for them. I can find ways to circumvent those limits. But I fucking have my limits, assholes. Shut the fuck up.
Those who know and love me love me for ME, not the fascination of my disability. I am not some fairy tale ideal creature to strive for. I am a gods damn CRIPPLE. I am nobody's hero. I am a fucking gimp. I am a person, a disabled person, a person with disabilities, living my life, not actually caring about how what I do affects non-disabled people. So people can shut up and leave me alone.
I mean, unless I ask for help when my disabilities make it hard for me to do something. And even then, they are not allowed to think of me as inspirational. I am not a Hallmark card. I can be an asshole. I am HUMAN. Quit staring at me with stars in your eyes.
So, yeah... ;-)
Ahhh. I feel better now.