What’s next? World War III?

Already in the works… 😬

The soundtrack for the first one was a banger, too…

Thanks for the reminder!

So clearly I don’t speak for all disabled people, and as you say, and as is with any group, the needs of disabled people are individual and can change depending on many factors, so I don’t know if I can really give a conclusive answer to that.

You do touch on respect, and that’d probably be the top priority (and again, probably applies to interacting with all people) - we don’t need saviours, we need comrades. Respect the individual and their boundaries, they know themselves better than you do, and if they say no to something, trust that they know what’s best and back off without taking personal offence (and if helping is contingent on someone being nice and eternally grateful - don’t do it. Only help another person because you want to help them, not because you’re looking for praise and adoration. Not saying you’d do this op, but far too many do - like people who grab your wheelchair and push without asking or being asked and then get angry when you ask them to stop).

I think other than that, the main almost universal one would be electricity. Even if someone doesn’t depend on it to power life sustaining machinery and/or aids (and many do), or seems like they immediately need electricity to survive, things like maintaining and controlling bodily temperature can be difficult or even impossible for some, so things like air conditioning, or heating pads (which are also vital for many for pain management), are essential (E: also, communication devices!). So having portable generators or other alternative sources of backup power in case of emergency can be a huge help.

Beyond that, the only way you can know is to get to know the disabled people in you community, build relationships friendships and trust, listen to them and let them know you’re there to offer help and support if they need it. If they feel safe and comfortable, they will come to you when and if they need it.

I agree with everything you’ve said, just one tip: please don’t call us “differently abled”, we’re disabled, and there is nothing wrong with calling us that.

Otherwise, thank you for actually including us in the first place, not many people do.

This is like reading a reverse horoscope - you’ve just thrown as many negative traits as you could think of at the wall, knowing at least a few will stick.

Nothing on your list couldn’t also apply to an adult, especially those most privileged and entitled in society.

To add to the extensive information you’ve already been given, I would highly recommend the Anarchist FAQ, which is all good, but specifically section J breaks down the “what can we do about it” part.

The anarchist Library in general is a fantastic resource, another good place to start might be David Graeber’s Are You An Anarchist? The Answer May Surprise You! or Kropotkin’s Mutual Aid.

Happy exploring!

I mostly drink spicy chai, supermarket own brand, or twinnings if they’re on offer.

We’re all learning, all of the time, being open to it just makes it more interesting!

I’m glad we’ve had this exchange, it’s honestly been really refreshing.

I’m glad you’re finding the info helpful and insightful.

I think with regards to use of language, this is another good read (E: also the understanding-disability link I attached earlier will will probably help with the “why” behind thinking “disabled” is a slur). It might be coming at this from a slightly different angle, but I think the point still stands - “politeness”, “offence”, “political correctness” these are terms most often used by the privileged to police the speech of and control marginalised people (aka “respectability politics”), rather than the other way around, but I might be digressing a little at this point lol…

You’re welcome.

I think why you think “disabled” is rude is the thing to focus on (and the answer very briefly is because you, we all, were socialised to think that way).

I’ll just drop this link in too, I think intersectionality is vital, and understanding how systems of oppression stand alone and interact with each other is vital to unlearning them, and I think this is a good starting point that goes in to several: https://www.yorku.ca/edu/unleading/systems-of-oppression/

That’s the fucking point - there is nothing disrespectful about the word disabled, while there definitely is a lot of disrespect in using bullshit euphemisms like the one you used. The fact that you’re arguing back rather than listen and try to do better proves that you don’t care about respecting disabled people at all, but only about making yourself comfortable.

Feel free to read the links I shared with the person bellow if you actually want to start showing respect to disabled people. Either way, I’m done here.

I am not a spokesperson for all disabled people, nor are we a monolith, but yes, it is the correct term, and enough disabled people care that there have been several campaigns and there are probably thousands of articles and other pieces of media discussing why it’s important people #SayTheWord. Look that hashtag up to find this content, here are a couple of examples:

https://www.creativeconnector.art/why-its-so-important-to-saytheword/

https://crippledscholar.com/2017/11/12/euphemisms-for-disability-are-infantalizing/

You might also benefit from reading through this: https://www.drakemusic.org/blog/nim-ralph/understanding-disability/

People saying it’s escapism inadvertently proving that it’s working as intended, because it isn’t there for escapism, it’s a distraction, a very deliberate choice to do with keeping poor people “aspirational”.

It’s about reinforcing the lie that is “The American Dream” (or the “trad life”), and the idea that the people watching really are just the temporarily embarrassed millionaires they’ve been made to believe they are, that are actually just Christian white supremacist patriarchal capitalism doing what it needs to to maintain its control - promote the “perfect” cis-heteronormative nuclear family, living in the house with a white picket fence (now evolved in to a McMansion), with 2 cars in the drive, not only as an ideal, but as the norm.

The idea that a movie can’t provide escapism if the people in it aren’t rich, again, just goes to show just how well this specific brand of propaganda works.

👏👏👏

differently abled

Pro tip - “disabled” isn’t a dirty word, please use it! 👍