#I'm an ambulatory cane user | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fantastic-nonsense · 2 months

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Oracle isn't just a name. It's an identity that is inextricably intertwined with Barbara Gordon reclaiming herself and her sense of agency over her body and life after becoming disabled.

The last 13 years of dedicated activism have gotten us back to a point where Oracle is acknowledged and Babs is portrayed as a competent adult woman, and I'm grateful she finally has her team back. But DC still refuses to acknowledge and uplift her as disabled, undermining the core thesis of Barbara's character in the modern era. And as long as she's not visibly disabled…she's still not Oracle.

Oracle was created because two people (Kim Yale and John Ostrander) saw a horribly misogynistic story and went "no. We can do better. We SHOULD do better." Oracle was a rebirth, a revitalization, a refusal to allow women to be relegated to the sidelines and margins of superhero comics regardless of physical ability.

To refuse to portray her as visibly disabled undermines everything that Babs as Oracle stood for, both in-universe and in real life. It betrays the identity's foundations as a reclamation of agency and heroism. It betrays her creators' intent as an avenue for disability representation and a revitalization of a character summarily discarded because the company saw no further use for her. It betrays the millions of readers who read her stories for nearly 25 years and enjoyed stories brimming with strength, independence, and heroism that depicted a disabled character at their center.

It's doubly frustrating because it's clear that DC is slowly moving Cass back into the "primary Batgirl" role, allowing us to have a semblance of Oracle back, but they seem to think of Oracle as an interchangable identity with Batgirl that Babs would have had even if TKJ had never happened. And outside of Batgirls (which ended last year), they won't even meet people halfway and make Barbara an ambulatory wheelchair user who uses forearm crutches and/or a cane when she's mobile.

Again: I'm grateful that Oracle is being acknowledged again. I'm grateful Babs is back to being a competent adult and team leader who has friends outside of Gotham. But I continue to be frustrated at the company-wide sexism keeping her from fully moving on from Batgirl and the ableism prohibiting her from being shown as visibly disabled.

#barbara gordon #batgirl #oracle #dc comics #sexism #ableism #batman #birds of prey #cassandra cain

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gonedreaminggg · 4 months

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i am craving disability representation in mcd and mystreet 😭

here i go!

my disability headcanons for MCD/MYS

- Laurance never got his vision back. Not completely, at least. The outer field of his vision is completely blurred, and sometimes it'll randomly get worse/better. In MyS, he's still mostly blind, but he was born with this. It honestly doesn't make a difference in his day to day life because he's so used to it, but he's so pissed that he can't drive.

- Dante has OCD, and he passed the trait down to Dmitri. They both have skin-picking issues as well.

- Naoki (Nekoette) has hyperactive ADHD, which she got from Nana. A lot of people think it's really funny, but when Naoki starts training as a guard, she and other people finally realize how challenging it is.

- Zoey's health starts deteriorating rapidly after giving up her immortality. She has chronic pain issues, and recurring migraines.

- Both MCD and Mystreet Katelyn are hella deaf. Like. Cannot hear for shit. In MyS she wears hearing aids sometimes, but in MCD she's like "WHA?" constantly.

- MyS Vylad is an ambulatory wheelchair user. (honestly i'm just self-inserting for this one lol) they have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and use a cane most of the time. They're very active on social media and are a popular disability advocate. It's why they're constantly traveling.

- All of the Ro'meave brothers are hella autistic

- Travis has a lot of chronic fatigue issues because of his demon form and powers and whatnot. When Aphmau gets her relic, and Garroth gets Esmund's, they also have chronic fatigue. The relics are too much energy for a mortal body.

- Levin has hella anxiety. Zoey and Malachai taught him how to manage it over the years. When he becomes Lord, the intensity of the job honestly makes him less focused on his anxieties.

- Malachai still can't function properly as a human. After being brought back to life, he's had a lot of chronic issues, that are honestly all over the place. He also has really bad dissociation, because he was DEAD FOR 900 YEARS.

#tl;dr everyones autistic #suprise!#aphblr #aphmau #minecraft diaries #laurance zvahl #garroth ro'meave #mystreet #mcd dante #zoey mcd #levin mcd #malachi mcd #travis valkrum #katelyn the firefist

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sarah-sandwich-writes · 2 months

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Call for Beta Readers!! Please boost this post!

💕 Queer contemporary romance 💕

I have a novel (where the romance happens) and a prequel novella (where they're kids and the romance doesn't quite happen) and I'm seeking beta readers for both. I'm planning to publish the novel first, but wrote them with the intent that they could be read in either order so it's up to the beta which order they'd like to read them in, or if they only want to beta one.

Red, like my bleeding heart in your hand - 25k - Nash has enough to worry about with an abusive father at home and a little sister to keep out of harm's way, but when a boy his age, Teddy, moves in next door he finds it impossible to stay away even though he really, really should.

Warning for child abuse - mostly referenced

Blue, like don't forget about me - 60k - Twenty years later, Nash reconnects with Teddy at a funeral of all places. With grief, hurt feelings, and broken promises on both sides--they've got no business trying this thing again... and yet...

Warnings for: references to past child abuse, one (1) sexy scene, several references and innuendoes to sex that happens between scenes, and funerals (there are like,,,,an improbable number of funerals for this fluffy little romance idk man)

INTERESTING STUFF:

Ambulatory cane user, undiagnosed autistic MC

Jewish, POC, asthmatic, dietary nightmare love interest

Small town Appalachian setting

Aro/Ace side character

MC works at a nursing home and is besties with all the old folks

I'm thinking two months turnaround if you're reading both, but am super flexible on timing. Mostly I'm looking for reactions to what you're reading: what hits right, what doesn't, what's missing. I'm especially interested in perspectives from anyone who can relate to one or more of the traits listed above!

If you're interested, let me know how you'd like to connect and share files (email, discord, etc.) and thanks for reading this far!

#beta reader #beta request #writeblr #writers on tumblr #queer romance #sswrites #writing community #writing

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sunsetcorvid · 1 year

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tell us about your agents

Anon you have unleashed the beast known as Autism (LONG POST I'M SERIOUS THE INFODUMP REALLY INFODUMPED)

Three Cuttlefish (Agent/Captain 3)

Repeating general info from the reference sheet for all of these! Also with some extra notes!

That's a They/Them right there.

Short squid haha 5'2" (157cm) ((they are only an inch shorter than me.))

Agender lesbian gayass who chose Three as their preferred name when Callie asked because they hadn't actually thought it out but thought "Hey, you know what they already call me Agent 3, why not just make it official." and they actually love the name now!

Hawaiian Bobtail Squid! Fun squid fact: Hawaiian Bobtails have a symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria which protects them from predators and also makes them sorta glow! Matches up with Three's scar a bit. (Look it up, the bioluminescence is pretty cool.)

Actually pretty nearsighted so they wear contacts most of the time. They found a pair that resemble Callie and Marie's pupil shape, so they got those to look more "Cuttlefish."

Not the best relationship with their bio family, pretty no-contact. I will most likely touch on this in my "Early Days of Agent 3" series on Ao3!

Sanitization scar fucked up their throat and vocal cords a bit, so it's pretty painful to talk. They could but they'd rather not anyways. Selective mute and uses sign to communicate!

Ambulatory cane user (Did some research, hope I used the first word right). Already had some body pains to begin with (One of them being the sanitization scar because that flares up sometimes.), but they messed up their back on a certain mission so they use a cane to walk sometimes.

Mains a Dynamo Roller. (They wield it like a Carbon....)

Banned from Turf Wars for "Using an illegally modified weapon." It wasn't illegal or modified they're just a beast with the Dynamo.

Legally got their name changed to "Three Cuttlefish" (Callie helped them.)

Four Cuttlefish (Agent 4)

looks at my icon. can you tell who my favorite agent is, lol.

Guys I think this is one of those She/They/Hes.... (real)

Grew a couple of inches from when he was 14 to now currently 19. 5'6" (167cm) to 5'8" (172cm)

Genderfluid panromantic gayass who chose Four as their name but not because it was a "Fuck it." moment, but because they genuinely liked being called Four at the time and they still do.

Never actually been in a relationship, but they're pretty sure they're polyamorous. (And might be on the aroace spectrum.)

A Clubhook Squid! So she has cool hooks on her tentacles. They are also a large species, so that's why Four's pretty tall. (For an inkling anyway.)

Also has a strained relationship with her bio family. Doesn't actually have Cuttlefish as her last name, but likes to introduce herself like that anyways because Marie is basically her mom now.

Always wears his Hero Jacket when he goes out. It's a comfort item to him. (Even if it's pretty torn up now and Marie has to force him to wash it every couple weeks.)

Started tying their back tentacles up when they were getting pretty long. Just did it one day because the hooks were bothering them and realized "Hey, I kind of look like Marie..." and kept doing it because it makes them feel better to share something with their mother-like figure.

Works part-time at Ammo Knights. Likes listening to Sheldon ramble about weapons.

She mains the Inkbrush! Very skilled, too. (Got some muscle from swinging it around.)

Looks at Three as an older sibling-like figure. (Technically, they could be cousins because Callie pretty much adopted Three and Marie pretty much adopted Four, sooo-)

The only one of the main four agents to have finished high school. Three dropped out to focus on agent work, Eight never really went, and Neo doesn't even know what the hell school is.

Absolutely terrified of salmonid. It's always just been a general phobia.

Eight Iida-Houzuki (Agent 8)

Yooo, one of those demigirl She/Theys, thats so poggers...

Tall... (5'11" 180cm, 6'1" 185cm in heels)

Down bad lesbian and in a relationship with Three!! (They hold hands!! Scandalous!!!)

Blue-Ringed Octopus! (And possibly something else because Blue-Rings are typically quite small.) Blue-Ringed Octopus are a highly venomous species (Though any recorded deaths are quite rare.). When they become agitated or defensive, their color will shift to a yellow and the blue rings appear. That's why the second ref is here, to show what the rings look like on Eight. While her ink color doesn't shift to a yellow, the rings are there and they have a slight yellow tint to them. Also blueish fingertips because funky fresh.

Doesn't remember much, if anything, from before Octo Expansion. Because of this, and being new to the surface, Marina pretty much put her under her name. So that's why she's "Eight Iida-Houzuki"! (The Houzuki is there because Pearlina canon source is me)

Leather jacket in their older design is a gift from Three! Though, it's a little torn up from some missions. They still wear it, though, because it's a huge comfort item now.

Has a bag in their older design as well for things! Weapon handling kit, first-aid kit, green towels for when Three's scar gets drippy while they're out, maybe a snack or two. Useful things!

Similar to Four, they started tying their back tentacles up because they were getting long.

Got a cool eyebrow nick to match Four's eyebrow scar. (The besties for real!!!)

Big scar on her back from being blown up a whole lot during Octo Expansion. Unlike Three's, however, it does not get drippy. Unfortunately, it is extra sensitive in place of that.

Also works part-time at Ammo Knights! Helps repair broken weapons and manages the shop when Sheldon is away somewhere for something.

Mains the E-Liter 4K or just any chargers in general! Watch out if you see her in Turf...

Worked at GrizzCo for like a week and noped the fuck outta there because man what is happening over there.

Neo/Junior (Cuttlefish) ((New Agent 3))

Another She/They that's so cool...

Still figuring herself out, but she's pretty sure she's bisexual and genderqueer.

5'4" (162cm) so like two inches taller than the Captain. (Everyone is taller than the Captain.)

You're probably wondering "Why are they 13 and not 14? They're not allowed to Turf and stuff until they're 14!" And my answer is: They lie about their age. They wander around the Splatlands, they've been doing it almost their whole life. Because of this, they look a little older than they are (They got out of their squish form pretty early.). Which is the main reason why Cuttlefish decided they were the New Agent 3. (He thought they were like 16-17 💀 He, and also Marie, already got a talk from Three about recruiting fresh squids/octos.)

Doesn't actually remember her name. Not because of amnesia or anything but because she just hasn't used it in years. Never really had a reason to. Soon, that memory faded because she never really saw it as important. The rest of the Splatoon either call her "Neo" or "Junior." (It started as a joke after Neo accidentally called Three her parent, but then it kind of caught on and even Three finds themself using it on her sometimes.)

Found Little Buddy as an egg a few years before Splat3 Story Mode happens. They have their own little language due to how long they've known each other and the fact that Buddy never grew up around other salmonid so he doesn't actually know whatever language salmonid use. He's also much more tame than you're usual Smallfry from being raised by Neo. Best friends forever, yo!

Magister Armhook Squid! Similar to Four with the hooks but she's a bit smaller.

They don't really main any weapon, they just kind of go with the flow. Hand them something and they'll figure it out pretty quickly. That doesn't mean they're good at everything, though. They do struggle with some weapons.

Looks at Three and Eight as parental figures and sees Four as a auncle (Aunt/Uncle) figure! Callie and Marie are like those cool aunts you have. (Got damn, Callie is grandma by 26! /hj)

Still learning sign, so this is why the Squid Sisters tell them what the Captain is saying. (And the Captain is still pretty shy.)

General Info on All!

They all share an apartment. Four originally wanted to stay with Three and Eight for a bit until she got a different apartment in Splatsville, and then Neo moved in because Three realized "Oh shit this kid is traumatized and homeless can't let them turn out like me lol" and so Four stays to help out with Neo.

All of them on the same team is a guaranteed loss for you. Sorry, you're not making it out alive. Three is a beast, Four is strategic and fast, Eight has terrifyingly good aim, and Neo can adapt to pretty much anything. You're fucked, lol.

Three is banned from playing Uno on Squidbeak Splatoon Game Night. They always win.

Group cuddle if any of them have nightmares.

Eight waking up in the middle of the night because her partner left the bed and finds the Threes in the dark kitchen munching on raw pasta for the crunch and it's like cats in the dark their eyes fuckin' glow and it scares the shit out of Eight before she turns the lights on and sees them clearly.

Four is both the number one hater and supporter of Eight and Three. (He will go on about how gross they are but he's the one who helped conspire the plan to get them together. He likes seeing his friends happy.)

Agent 24 headcanon thrown in here, teehee. Some nights, if Eight has a really bad nightmare, Three will hum or even sing Calamari Inkantation. It's off-pitch and rough because of their fucked up vocal cords, but it's enough to help Eight calm down. Three never regrets it, even when their throat feels like its been mauled the next morning. Eight appreciates this.

In order of most cuddly to least cuddly: Four, Three, Neo, and you may or may not find surprising Eight in last! Four is known to just lean against anyone in the Splatoon. Marie's there? Fuck yeah, let me get a hug. Three's on the couch? Just gonna lay on top of them if that's alright. Lovely platonic cuddles from Four! While Three is not very affectionate with the rest of the Splatoon, how clingy they are to Eight puts them in the number two spot. And they won't say no to a surprise cuddle from Four or Neo.

I think that's about it! Thank you for unleashing my autism demons I've been keeping this in since I got this ask because I need to draw their refs. I have a special interest in cephalopods now because of this. Thank you, I guess.

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mctwilight-mcd · 2 months

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I was once again scrolling through the cane user tag (because community and such) and I saw an awesome post (that was just reblogged).

It got me thinking about how I use my cane.

For those who don't know, Hi! I'm Twily. I'm 16 years old and I'm an ambulatory cane user.

Ambulatory means that I only use my cane some of the time. I suffer from chronic pain and fatigue, mainly in my hips and knees. My knee problems are also due to patellofemoral pain syndrome, otherwise knows as "runners knee".

My pain is usually manageable and greatly helped due to physiotherapy. One day I may be able to set my cane aside completely, but as of now, the pain is here to stay.

I have let my friends try my cane as a gag in the past and it always surprises me how badly they move with it. When using a cane, people will usually carry the cane in the opposite hand to which side needs support.

For example, when my issues started, they were mainly in my right knee. That means I learned how to walk with a cane using my left hand. Nowadays, I still only use my cane in my left hand, even though I switch which leg I am favouring regularly. The motion of swinging a cane is something you get used to with time. I am now able to use my right hand completely independently and expressively while keeping my cane moving in my left.

Mobility aids are used a little bit differently for everyone. I have my preferences and specifications for the way I use my cane.

Being so young with a mobility aid gets me looks, sure, but I've learned to live with it. This is what's right for my body. This is what works for me. Early dismissal, seating privileges, pain meds, skipping class for flare ups, and all.

Thank you for reading if you've made it this far. I'd love to hear your stories of mobility aid usage! Have a great day!

#twily rambles #cane user #mobility aid #long post #I'd love to hear your stories #this community has helped me feel more comfortable with my own journey #I hope it does the same for you #young and disabled #disability #chronic pain #chronic fatigue #actually disabled #ambulatory cane user #ambulatory mobility aid user

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pack-coven-thing · 5 months

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Some of the physical disability rep in me and @romeave-wives-club's rewrite because lets face it the lack of disability rep in MCD is unrealistic and even in MYS it was still "how do you know so many people and not one of them has a physical disability??"

[this isn't all of it, but it's some of it]

So, excluding the two entirely new OC characters because look they may be self inserts but Aph herself was one

Zane in both MCD and MYS has troubles with his balance, so, walking stick. In MCD he has this fancy and sleek one, while in MYS it's covered in stickers and paint and no that's not a pinkie cake sticker what do you mean. He's blind in one eye, in MCD it was from a relic incident and in MYS it's the infamous snowball incident. He finds it too much of a hassle to have it uncovered, that fucks with his perception of things more than it helps. He's also immunocompromised in MYS, which I thought was canon but now that I'm thinking about it it was never said in canon that he still gets sick a lot.

Laurance was partially blinded upon his return to the overworld, while Ungrth took the blunt of the void burns- he got a nasty one covering his entire left eye. It healed, slowly, but it left his vision severely blurry and hazed over with a dark-tinted film. He pulled a Zane, covering it with his hair or an eyepatch, for a while. But eventually that stops, and he adjusts to it the best he can.

Aaron was fully blinded when his village was wiped out, he was also very soon after turned into a werewolf. He can make out levels of light if the change is extreme enough, but that's about it- lets his hair cover his eyes, or a blindfold, just because the light tricking him into seeing movement was more of a hinderance in battle than a help. (Post S6 in MYS he's also blind, and either has a white cane or a service dog (or both) to help him around)

Post MYS S6, Travis is an ambulatory wheelchair user! He switches between his wheelchair and crutches, but if he's out and about he's probably in the wheelchair.

MYS!Aph has a walker, when she first got it she went over to Zane's house arms filled with stickers and "dragging" my OC along and the three of them had a hangout of just decorating their mobility aids

They're both background/more minor characters unfortunately, but both Nana's sister Shi and Blaze's sister Adira are deaf!

Some additions

Aaron has died 10 times over and will not stay in the ground, he has some form of chronic pain and will probably join the mobility aid crew at some point

Hayden uses a walking stick because yes

also there's a plethora of mental disabilities ranging from learning disabilities with Blaze's dyspraxia, all the meif'wa being autistic (this comes from the theory of cats not being able to be diagnosed with autism because they're all autistic, and you can pry this out of my cold dead autistic hands), dissociative disorders like MYS!Gene with chronic dissociative amnesia and Travis with DID

and more!

#aphmau #aphverse #mystreet #minecraft diaries #aphblr #aphmau rewrite #mcd #aphmau mcd #aphmau mystreet #travis valkrum #aaron lycan #zane ro'meave #blaze aphmau #aphmau blaze #blaze o'hara #meif'wa #laurance zvhal

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disabledstraydogs · 1 month

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Chuuya Nakahara is a cane user and an ambulatory wheelchair user

"I'm just projecting here but I think that he has chronic pain (specifically in his legs) due to corruption and the effects of experiments done on him; because of this he uses a cane and occasionally a wheelchair. Although he struggles with shame in regards to using mobility aids, Kouyou is helping him accept that he needs them."

Image ID: A manga version of Chuuya in front of the cane user flag by rjalker. The second image is of the same manga panel of Chuuya infront of the ambulatory wheelchair user flag by xenogender-klown-goblin.

The divider is of the disabled flag but turned into a graident.

#bungou stray dogs #bsd #chuuya nakahara #bsd chuuya #disabled stray dogs #personal headcanons #mobility aid headcanons #chronic pain headcanons #disability headcanon

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mar-im-o · 17 days

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on the whole disabled scar discussion and coming from someone who's chronically ill and a fellow wheeler,

fully agree that it's okay to change the disability, especially considering that scar himself has been general with his conditions (etc not giving a specific disorder)

and it's so important for people to make c!Scar physically disabled too imo. it's so annoying watching the narrative of "his character isn't disabled!" and then excusing it for oh disabilities are hard to draw/write, wheelchairs are difficult to include, tubes are hard to write

then... learn?

if you want to write a character who happens to be disabled, you don't just throw yourself in. you learn how it works and hear others perspectives.

like i personally project a LOT when i write Scar, i'll write his experiences to mirror my own and even then i do a lot of research to ensure i'm not misrepresenting. i find no issue with people doing the same or taking creative liberty when it comes to "cc! scar has a nmd but when i write c!scar he's a potsie with comorbid disorders"

and imo he should always be a wheelchair user, whether ambulatory or not. it's so ??? to make a character who is a non-ambulatory wc user suddenly only need a cane (many even doing it where he only needs it every now and then). it's not hard to make the minecraft world seem accessible/possible for someone physically disabled when the same minecraft world has shit like watchers, dragons, endermen. like brother if you can write about grian having avian instincts then you can write(+draw! as a writer i'm probably focussing on that side a bit much) about disabilities+experiences that are well documented/taught on

i am hARD rambling here but i'm just grateful this shit is being discussed bc this community is riddled with ableism (and fatphobia etc)

I really appreciate your perspective! Thank you!

I'm an ambulatory cane user so I'm always eager to hear from wheelchair users on their perspectives. I worry sometimes that I'm being a bit too dramatic on this, but it's really good to hear your opinion on the matter too!!

tldr

Make!! Scar!! Disabled!!!!

#marimo rambles #mcyt #hermitcraft #gtws #trafficblr #life series #disabled gtws

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sunnycanwrite · 9 months

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I fell down the stairs trying to go eat French toast at midnight. Than had eight slices, while glaring at the pile of canes I had neglected to use to help me get up and down the stairs.

#I forgot to get ice cream sad #Chronic illness shit #My legs were working than boom not #Like just had a limp for a good chunk of the day #Than I'm laying on the floor at the gas of the stairs #It's funny as fucl #Because I should've taken a cane with me upstairs #ambulatory wheelchair user #cane user #disabled people #disabled #disability #chronic illness #chronic pain

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crplpunkklavier · 6 months

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there is something to be said about how i really barely feel disabled anymore once i'm in a truly accessible space. because the space is no longer disabling me.

so, we went to see the @montereybayaquarium for our honeymoon. we didn't make it through the whole aquarium on our first day, so we went twice. on day 1, i came to the ticket desk with my cane and said i'd like to have a wheelchair. on day 2, i didn't bring my cane, and once again requested a wheelchair. there was absolutely no difference in the employees' reactions: i didn't have to ~look disabled~ to be immediately met with a nod, and a wheelchair that 1) was my size and 2) i was able to move myself.

this is going to seem like a list of things that clear a very low bar, and i suppose it is. but i have been to bookfairs that attempted to take my cane from me because they didn't believe me i needed it, as if cane users carry cane prescriptions around with them (NOT A THING.), and who only let up when my friends and i explained to them (not reminded. explained) that what they were doing was illegal. the cologne zoo only has visitor wheelchairs that can be pushed by a companion, not wheeled by the user themselves. the art museum needs me to bring my own. so, you see where i'm coming from.

the aquarium was fully accessible. (at least for me as an ambulatory wheelchair user - i of course can't speak for people with different disabilities.) there was no exhibit i was cut off from by stairs, because all of them either had reasonable ramps (not too steep), or elevators that were quick and roomy enough not to make me feel like i was missing out. every exhibit was at a height/level that someone sitting down could still see. some of the active touch exhibits (like getting to pet certain animals or feel kelp) were trickier, but staff always came forth unprompted to ask me (not forcibly, just ask) if i could reach everything okay, and if i couldn't, they leaned down and over to help me get where i wanted. there was a walk-through bird enclosure where a staff person followed us, and explained that the doors need to open and close somewhat quickly, so she'll just stay around us while we're there, and as soon as i'm ready to exit through the door i was to let her know. she was fully in the background while we were in there, and at no point did i feel like i was under any pressure to get out soon, or like i was inconveniencing her.

literally the only difficult thing about going through the aquarium with a wheelchair was that at the very end of the day we weren't entirely sure where to give it back. the only difficult thing about going through the monterey bay aquarium with a wheelchair was getting rid of the wheelchair!

am i just advertising the monterey bay aquarium in this post? maybe. yeah. they're good in general and i'll give them as many free ads as i want. they were just also a really good example for accessibility that made me feel like a completely normal aquarium visitor. like i wasn't disabled, because the place enabled me to visit it.

and it's on my mind now that i'm back home in germany, because yesterday i had to take a train from a station that had me crawl up 4 flights of stairs with a cane and a suitcase around crowds of people that didn't help. and it wasn't that the elevator was broken or anything. it's that plenty of train stations even in large cities like cologne simply are not accessible for anyone who can't climb stairs.

and the aquarium was a good example for how it's not just things like ramps and available wheelchairs that are necessary, but how their staff also clearly knew what they were doing. there is an etiquette to learn for people who had never worked with disability before (you will at some point!), and they'd learned it. my needs never stumped them. and i got to spend my honeymoon feeling like an easy customer and only ever weeping because i got to see the ocean.

#this was more structured in my mind but whatevs #thank u monterey bay aquarium and if i never have to go to cologne again itll still be too soon #and also thank u to my wonderful spouse whose first time it was accompanying me on a wheelchair day and who did beautifully <3

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sam-the-pancake · 8 months

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I wasn't gonna make a post about this anymore because it resolved, but I still want to talk about it. My writing style is long and rambly so TL;DR at the bottom.

Yesterday was the first day of the college course I'm taking (I'm getting my master's in Special Education if anyone's interested). It's a class from 5pm until 8pm, and most days it's after a full day of work for me, so I've elected to mainly use my wheelchair. But since I'm ambulatory I decided to bring my cane in case I needed the bathroom or something so I don't have to struggle with the doors. This classroom of course didn't have a desk without a chair attached so as we sat in a circle I put my bag on the desk behind me and rested my cane against it.

Anyone who uses a cane knows that they fall over. A lot. I kept telling both the professor and the students next to me to please just leave it on the floor when it falls over but of course they didn't listen. They had to "help" the poor cripple. Well class ends and I grab my bag and head home. When I get to my house I realize that I don't have my cane with me to help me down the stairs to my apartment. It wasn't with my bag when I left class so I forgot it. I tell my partner that I'm going back to campus to get the cane I forgot. This is my only cane. I use it any time I leave the house. Even if I'm planning on using my wheelchair when I get somewhere I like to have the cane in the car.

In the 20min it took me to drive home and back the cane is gone. I look all over the first floor of the building without an aid since I expected it to be quick. I sit down and email the professor and campus lost and found before making my way back to the car.

AN HOUR LATER, an hour and a half after the class has ended, I get an response email from the professor and a girl from the class. The girl saw that I forgot it (I still don't know where it had been) and took it hoping to see me before I left. She probably felt like she was doing her good deed for the day. Except I have a medical exception letting me park in the teacher parking lot right outside the building, and she probably brought it to the student parking across campus in the other direction. And then when she didn't find me she didn't reach out!

If she had wanted to be helpful she should have stayed in the classroom with it, or gone back to class when she couldn't find me, and sent me an email. I know that to ableds it's just a stick, but a month ago that was my only mobility aid. I have not left the house without it for 2 years. I'm not leaving the house until I get it back. I'm in pain today because I walked around for 10min without it. She waited for me to reach out about it to let me know she had my mobility aid. And I know she waited because she told the professor she had it. If she had wanted my email she could have asked the professor for it or for my full name to look it up in the directory.

In her email she said "I was really worried someone would take it." Guess what! YOU took it! Again, I understand that it wasn't her intention, but it's the reality of what happened. She removed it from the room and didn't reach out to tell me where it was (neither did the Prof!).

Non-mobility aid users don't touch our aids! Don't move our aids! DONT FUCKING TAKE THEM HOME WITH YOU! This wouldn't have been a problem if during class people would have respected me and left it on the floor with my stuff like I said to.

TL;DR: My cane was falling over in class and the people kept touching it and eventually must have moved it. This caused me to forget it when I left in my wheelchair. Some girl from class took it home with her "so no one would take it" so it wasn't there when I returned. She didn't reach out to me so I didn't know where it was. Prof let her know I emailed asking about it. She's bringing it back to me today, but I can't comfortably leave the house until I get it back because I'm in pain from looking for it without an aid. ABLEDS RESPECT MOBILITY AID USERS BOUNDARIES AND DONT MOVE OUR AIDS OR TAKE THEM FUCKING HOME CHALLENGE

#host #disabled #cripple punk #cripplepunk #disability #cane user #ambulatory wheelchair user #wheelchair user #ok to rb #if you dont use a mobility aid dont add on

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