This is about disabled people being weaponized against each other by those who wish to dismiss that disability is not just a spectrum, but also a legitimate limitation for many.
To simplify:
Say two people, who are cousins, have a migraine disorder. Cousin 1 has migraines 25 days/month. Cousin 2 has migraines 15 days/month. Both are effectively disabled.
Cousin 2 is able to live a “normal-ish” life and can hold down a part time job, manage their triggers and their medications work consistently. Cousin 1 can’t work because they have unpredictable triggers and medication works maybe 1/3 of the time.
Aunt to both cousins says to cousin 1, “Cousin 2 has migraines and doesn’t make it an excuse! You’re just being lazy and don’t want a job.”
That line, by Aunt, is ableism. Cousin 2 is not ableist, but unfortunately gets used as a concept to bludgeon disabled people who “act disabled” instead of being treated as an individual person.
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… who the fuck’s talking about ‘every able-bodied person’ here?
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That’s like saying the concept of racism is bigoted against people who have a race.
Ableism is just the prejudice expressed by disregarding disabled individuals and groups.
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… do you not know what a ‘narrative’ is?
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This is not about an individual disabled person.
This is about disabled people being weaponized against each other by those who wish to dismiss that disability is not just a spectrum, but also a legitimate limitation for many.
To simplify:
Say two people, who are cousins, have a migraine disorder. Cousin 1 has migraines 25 days/month. Cousin 2 has migraines 15 days/month. Both are effectively disabled.
Cousin 2 is able to live a “normal-ish” life and can hold down a part time job, manage their triggers and their medications work consistently. Cousin 1 can’t work because they have unpredictable triggers and medication works maybe 1/3 of the time.
Aunt to both cousins says to cousin 1, “Cousin 2 has migraines and doesn’t make it an excuse! You’re just being lazy and don’t want a job.”
That line, by Aunt, is ableism. Cousin 2 is not ableist, but unfortunately gets used as a concept to bludgeon disabled people who “act disabled” instead of being treated as an individual person.
It becomes ableism when it’s weaponized.
… uh, no.