Blogging Against Disablism Day is coming!

[alias_sqbr]

Just found out about Blogging Against Disablism Day on May 1 which I will try and be involved in, it's funny how it seems like a much more important issue now that I'm disabled(*).

And so I've said SOMETHING on the subject in the event I forget on the day, two links:
Lazyweb Book request: Disability activism from Hoyden About Town which I mean to poke at when next I go on a "reading non fiction" bender.

Elder and Disabled Porn Targeted By Massachusetts Lawmaker - Proposal Goes Too Far Attemptt to extend over the top "prosecute people for taking pictures of themselves" child porn laws to the disabled and elderly in Massachusetts. Not that I had any intentions of becoming a porn star in Massachusetts, but still, it illustrates the creepy infantalisation that happens.

(*)I'm still getting used to describing myself that way, but afaict I am by pretty much every legal definition even if not the cultural one of "Deaf, blind, or in a wheelchair".

Comments

[evil-megz.livejournal.com]

"Deaf, blind, or in a wheelchair": oh don't forget the psychological disabilities. The cultural label could be "people who look funny or drool on themselves"... which you could no doubt get categorised in if you were to fall asleep in public with your mouth open

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

I have done that on trains before. :(

[alias_sqbr]

Or have cerebral palsy etc :/

[emma-in-oz.livejournal.com]

Must apologise - feel like I derailed what you said as the first commenter at Sarah's panel. I was so carried away with my new insight into my new response that I was all 'must talk now'. I am sorry. it was rude.

[alias_sqbr]

I've been thinking about this all day and I honestly can't remember what you're talking about, so I at least wasn't deeply traumatised by the experience :)

[emma-in-oz.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about this all day and I honestly can't remember what you're talking about, so I at least wasn't deeply traumatised by the experience :)

You said something insightful at the boobs panel. Then I went into a comment about breastfeeding because that thought had just occurred to me. But if you don't remember, all is well:-)

[alias_sqbr]

Well, you know, I say so many insightful things, it's hard to keep track of them all :D

[firvulag.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's strange describing ones self as disabled, especially when it's an invisible disability. I've had 15 years to get used to it and I still don't like it. I need another way of describing not fully capable of doing whatever I want whenever I want.

I'm finding it a lot easier since November though, with whatever has caused/is causing the latest issues.

Hope you recovered from Swancon well. I think I'm back to pre-con normal, which is quite a bit better than I was anticipating

[alias_sqbr]

I had a legally blind friend in highschool who was very uncomfortable being seen as disabled, I think part of the problem is that the word has so many unnecessary and unpleasant associations which shouldn't be applied to anyone.

Had to take today off work unfortunately but I guess that's kind of normal :/ Hopefully will be going in tomorrow though. Glad to hear you're doing (relatively) well!

[http://users.livejournal.com/peasant_/]

Yeh, I resist the hell out of being labelled as disabled. I think of disabled as something you don't recover from, so what I have is just a chronic illness, not a disability, and I want to be invested in getting better, not defining myself as incapable. That difference really, really matters to me.

I have sometimes thought about doing a public post about what CFS means and what it has done to me. But then I think bugger that, it's nobody's business but mine.

[alias_sqbr]

*nods* I'm not going to tell anyone else how to define themselves! I personally find accepting the definition useful for reasons I can't quite articulate.

[http://users.livejournal.com/peasant_/]

I personally find accepting the definition useful for reasons I can't quite articulate.

I can understand that. You are still at a fairly early stage of coming to terms with having this thing. By defining yourself as 'disabled' you can cut through a lot of the feelings about being culpable in some way - the worst prejudice that we have to put up with, both from ourselves and other people - and get straight down to adjusting to life as someone who is less able than the bulk of the population. That could be a very useful shortcut for you.

I am sure that a part of why I don't want to think of myself as disabled is also prejudice against disability, and especially prejudice against the benefits system associated with disability (when someone says 'disabled' I think of disability benefit first). I might think about posting about some of the issues surrounding that for disability awareness.

Or I might not - I am not always sure if talking about these things in a general public open post way is appropriate. Also I think I am actually away that week :D

[alias_sqbr]

Yes that's a big part of it.

I lived to a greater or lesser extent off government benefits until my mid twenties so have no strong negative associations there. (I'm not getting any now since distantcam earns too much, which is fair enough)

*nods* You have to write (or not write) what suits you.