I’m not here to disgust you as I live my life and I don’t want to hear that you feel disgusted by my wheelchair because it sounds like a YOU problem and I’ve got plenty of my own issues thank you. I’m a PERSON who uses a wheelchair.
Also, it’s not my job to be your inspiration from the seat of my power wheelchair. I don’t want your thumbs up as I transfer from the passenger seat of my car to my wheelchair. Or worse, you telling me that some nonexistent deity loves me to make yourself feel like you’re a good person all while conveniently forgetting that I’m a PERSON who uses a wheelchair and not every person believes what you believe.
I’m not a child. I’m a 57 year old stroke survivor, and I don’t appreciate being talked down to like I’m 5. I’m a fully grown, educated PERSON who uses a wheelchair
Just because it’s a power wheelchair doesn’t mean that I can’t speak. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is when people assume that I can’t speak just because I’m sitting in a power wheelchair. Ask me if you’re not sure, and I’ll happily tell you in paragraph form that not only can I speak, but you should listen to me when I do because I actually have something to say from my experiences that you might just need to hear. I’m a PERSON who uses a wheelchair.
So treat me like a PERSON. The wheelchair is not me. I’m the PERSON sitting in the wheelchair so treat me as you would any PERSON. Or better yet, treat me like you would want to be treated.
If you have issues with people who use wheelchairs you’d better make sure that you never end up in one because I can guarantee that you’re not emotionally strong enough to handle it.
