#my ire is pretending these wellness ideas are solutions to ableism

[goodluckdetective]

There’s been a push to make workplaces more accepting of neurodivergence or mental illness recently and that’s great, honestly, but there’s one thing about it that has me frustrated.

I really dislike all the emphasis on the person who is neurodivergent or mentally ill to do so much of the work.

Like in some ways it makes sense: the people who need the changes should be the ones in charge. But sometimes it feels like the good idea that “the people who are margalized should have the largest voice in the room” gets used as “and if those marginalized are having a rough time, well they should have just disclosed their situation.”

It feels like the blame goes from “society is ableist/unaccepting of diffeeence” to “if you had just SAID SO well it would be fine!” Without considering the many very good reasons people might not want to speak up. Stigma has gotten better but it’s not gone.

You can add all the stress balls and wellness seminars into your workspace as you want, but for me personally, that doesn’t mean jack shit if the only way I MAYBE can get slight flex in my lunch hours for doctors appointments is to disclose my mental illness to not only my Supervisor, but my Boss and HR. You can add in discounts to Yoga class, but if the only talk of mental stuff in a workplace is about hypothetical “other” people, can I really be blamed for not exactly wanting to play those cards?

Is it really my fault that I don’t want to label myself when that label might become the first thing people associate me with?

I’m not saying people shouldn’t do those things like get accommodations: they absolutely should and I hope no one has to fight for them. I can get defeatist at times and I want to be very clear that getting what you need is worth it and if anyone gives you shit, they’re dicks. I just wish that that more concrete policies to help people who are neurodivergent or mentally ill didn’t require folks to share what they might not be ready to talk about.

And that if that isn’t possible, to not act like the only barrier to acceptance in the workplace is created by those who need it the most.

#iz rambles #I think this is where a lot of my ire of wellness comes from: I absolutely do not hate the concept #please do not take this as me talking trash about yoga yoga is great with a rich history #my ire is pretending these wellness ideas are solutions to ableism #rather than actual systematic change in policy and capitalism #ableism #mental illness #neurodivergence #this is mostly about places I have worked in the past