Thread by @Imani_Barbarin

Ableds,

hi, hello, wish we could have met under better circumstances, but here we are.

Generally speaking people don’t care about ableism until it affects them so you are probably panic-following myself and a bunch of other disabled people

Here’s a crash course.

Thread

1/?

You’re probably experiencing a lot of different emotions based on how the government is treating the #COVIDー19 pandemic and watching in horror as people around you dismiss your fear as irrational.

I would love to say I’m going to hold your hand through this thread, but

2/?

We simply don’t have the time.

What you’re experiencing is ableism on a national scale.

Early on, many wrote off the #coronavirus as something “just elderly and disabled (sick) people die from.” People felt they didn’t have to take action because only the most disposable

3/?

Would be harmed.

People tend not to care bc restrictions based on illness/disability are usually “someone else’s” problem,” those affected just need to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” and “overcome.”

This virus doesn’t give a fuck about the American Dream mythos.

4/?

This is all our problem so undoing your unconscious bias towards disability and disabled people is critical.

Here are some things you’ve probably noticed since the crisis hit:

5/?

Disability Accommodations/accessibility are “special treatment” right up till nondisabled people need them.

I wrote a thread about this a few days ago, but the gist of it is, all of the institutions that previously failed disabled people? Suddenly accessible.

Shocking.

6/?

https://twitter.com/imani_barbarin/status/1238213582787092483

Things are more expensive now that you need them to survive. Disabled people call this #CripTax.

Not only are the things you need more expensive, but there’s now an added cost to get them delivered since your health depends on you staying home.

7/?

People you thought were your friends are kind of assholes.

People in your life don’t quite understand why you’re staying home and making a big deal out of nothing.

If they’re not goading you into unhealthy behavior then they’re telling you it’s not a “big deal.”

8/?

The government doesn’t know what to do with you.

They have fumbled the response to the virus, so while it scrambles for approval ratings, you’ll have to rely on complete strangers for help and guidance opening you up to be taken advantage of.

9/?

Why demand competence and accessibility from your elected officials when “There’s always someone to help.”

10/?

Your environmental stewardship has been cut off at the knees.

You saw the turtle and the straw, but have you ever seen the Clorox wipe and the fish.

Your going to have to ask yourself: was your environmentalism performative morality now you need single-use plastics?

11/?

Finally, a complete group of strangers on the internet are the only people who seem to validate how you feel about this experience and are sharing resources and knowledge simply to see you survive.

because your previous life was previously accessible doesn’t mean anything.

12/?

Disabled people have been dealing with your shaken new realities our entire lives. Things are more expensive, people around you change, and the world is completely inaccessible until it decides not to be.

You should be listening to disabled people not only in a crisis but

13/?

Every single day. No one does worse because people, places and things are MORE accessible.

I hope this current crisis challenges all of you to do better.

Fin

14/14