Went out for dinner with my husband last night. I booked the table, and I paid the bill. And yet, every single staff member we encountered spoke to my husband rather than me. Because I’m disabled, because I’m a woman, who knows? The food was beautiful, but I won’t be returning. For those wondering what’s the big deal? The drip, drip, drip of these micro aggressions tells a disabled person that they’re not worthy. It says, we don’t actually think your custom is good enough. It takes a huge amount of mental strength to be othered and not internalise it.

This afternoon the inevitable happened. I had an accident in my wheelchair, whilst walking my dog, because a walker didn’t keep a safe distance. Lots of people offered to help - which I had to refuse - because social distancing. I haven’t felt so vulnerable for a long time. 1/8 We are both ok and not hurt, but we were in an unsafe position for 10 minutes or so whilst we waited for my husband to come and help. All because someone didn’t simply step out of the way. I tried to put as much distance between us as possible 2/8

So much of disabled life is about planning. We can’t jump on a train, book a last minute hotel or try a new restaurant. Planning becomes habit, it takes over our lives. The hardest thing is to be mindful, to live in the moment when everything has to be researched and scheduled. It’s amazing how differently people have responded to this, having seen their own thoughts reflected in different ways.

Proof that disabled people are all different - our journeys aren’t linear, our thoughts are individual.

Today’s experience of airport special assistance, flying with @easyJet from @LPL_Airport. A (likely rather long) thread. Arrived at @OmniServLtd desk at requested time. Was told possible gate but to keep an eye on it, changeable. Made a point of asking what time I should be at gate. Told just when it opens, 30 mins before departure