I would like to ask people to talk about “identities” instead of “labels” when talking about descriptions of yourself or others that are self-chosen and proudly-carried. I am thoroughly sick of saying people talking about “why label yourself”; “I don’t want to label my child” etc when talking about important diagnoses such as #autism and #ADHD that are utterly essential to self-understanding and often become proud, self-chosen identities as a child grows up, and it’s even worse when people talk about #gender and #sexualities as “labels”.

One of the most utterly heartbreaking things I had to learn when an illness I had no idea about was destroying my life was “there’s no point going to a #GP without a fucking itemised list of goals. #chronicillness #disabled You need to give them the service you want them to refer you to, often with an actual consultant’s name and sometimes with their secretary’s email address. And you need to phone back next week to make sure they’ve actually put the referral through. And keep phoning to chase it.

Please, for the love of any god you like, just...do not reply to people disputing an incorrect opinion you have stated with any variation of “I’m allowed to have an opinion”. The same applies to people telling you the facts you produced to support a genuine opinion are wrong. Dispute how they have interpreted the facts you presented: sure! Produce citations showing where your facts came from: absolutely! Run off to sea and go a-viking: if you must, please use #PPE and #sociallydistance while raiding. Maybe use bows? But facts are facts, not opinions.