There’s several disabled people who are inherently ableist.
Be it wheelchair users, thinking the disabled toilet is only for wheelchair users or the blue badge parking space is only for wheelchair users.
Or be it disabled people who are able to work full time and not claim benefits hating on those of us who need to claim benefits and concluding that we must just be lazy.
And there’s nothing I hate more. Whilst I get that a lot of the time these feelings of hate towards other disabled people comes from frustration (we all know that there aren’t enough blue badge spaces in most car parks or disabled toilets in most buildings for demand). It’s harmful and perpetuates hate to be saying these people aren’t disabled or aren’t disabled enough if they need to access an accommodation or can’t work so need to access benefits.
There are many reasons someone may need a blue badge space, and specifically the extra space around it. Crutch, walker, and rollator users struggle to get out of the car without extra space and so can lower limb amputees, depending on the type of prosthetic they wear.
Equally, there are many reasons one may need a disabled toilet. If you have a stoma, need to catheterise, have a walker, an assistance dog, or need the grab bars to get on and off the toilet.
And in the UK parents may need this bathroom because it’s often the only baby changing toilet space.
But these people can’t seem to empathise, can’t seem to possibly comprehend that wheelchair accessible doesn’t mean wheelchair user reserved.
There’s one thing getting annoyed at people genuinely taking the mick. Parking in a blue badge space without a blue badge for example.
But there’s another thing saying that people with other disabilities shouldn’t be entitled or outright calling them lazy and entitled.
Rights for all disabled people will never exist if we’re fighting against each other over whose worthy and who is most disabled. Disability takes many different forms and wheelchair users are a minority of disabled people.
Spoonielivingfree 