I’ve been thinking a lot about all the labor behind-the-scenes people don’t see when you’re chronically ill: the applications, intake forms, doctors appointments, note taking, emails, phone calls with pharmacies/insurance, etc.

All the while your body is already worn down. #MHAM When chronically ill people talk about it being like a full-time job in and of itself, it really is. But when you can’t physically work for capital, the outside perception that you do “nothing” is all too pervasive.

It feels like the pandemic has pushed us very close to a major reckoning on ableism, but we’re not quite there yet cuz that would require society at-large to look in the mirror that is being reflected back at them. Some of my thoughts/observations: Before the pandemic, I feel like it was “easier” for nondisabled people to simply ignore disabled folks if they wanted to. And to a certain extent, that remains the case.

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot is how disabled people are left out entirely of the mental health conversation as it relates to the pandemic. The pandemic has been hard on everyone in myriad ways, but when the topic of mental health is brought up in the context of COVID, it feels like disabled people don’t exist.

I’m gonna give my own little chronically ill/disabled perspective into why “just stay home” doesn’t work. First off, there are places I do need to go. I know this might shock some folks, but disabled people are [checks notes] part of society.

Alice Wong is right and, she should say it. So many chronically ill and disabled people feel the exact same way — that we’re seen as “disposable.” This pandemic has been an especially brutal daily reminder of this lived reality. tampabay.com/news/health/20… .@SFdirewolf: “My critique is…about these institutions that historically devalued and excluded people. We’re just trying to say, ‘Your messaging is incredibly harmful; your decisions are incredibly harmful.’” tampabay.com/news/health/20…

Because my health and disability status should not make my inherent worthiness as a human being constantly up for “debate.” #MyDisabledLifeIsWorthy I never thought I’d share this publicly & frankly I might delete:

When my ex (who I was with for 10 years) broke up with me, the underlying reason why was cuz we weren’t a “normal couple” anymore. I.e. he saw my somewhat newly chronically ill/disabled self as not normal.

I still remember when the CDC told vaccinated people they didn’t have to mask anymore and the folks who pushed back were called “pandemic addicts.” Then that strawman wE cAn’T sTaY iNsIdE fOrEvEr.

So yeah the government has failed us. But y’all need to listen to disabled people. If there’s one thing the pandemic has been consistently serving, it’s eugenics.