TSSF, disabled, #spoonie, printmaker disability advocate,๐ asexual biromantic, she/her
Reading bell hooks essay "Love as the practise of Freedom" this morning and this line leapt out at me :
"Without an ethic of love shaping the direction of our political vision and our radical aspirations, we are often seduced, in one way or the other, into continued allegiance to systems of dominationโimperialism, sexism, racism, classism"
Iโm thrilled that #ThickTrunkTuesday is taking off. If you love, honor & appreciate trees youโre #TreePeople & part of my tribe. .. Still hoping Adam keeper_of_books will migrate over from the bird sight, I think he may have been the one who started TTT?
I posted this photo before but here it is again in honor of all the beautiful #TreePeople here. We found each other and this is the way I feel.
If you want to help disabled people, listen to us when we tell you what we need. Do not dismiss us when we talk about access needs. Do not dismiss us when we talk about mask mandates. Support our calls for accommodation.
If you want to help, normalise asking for help by asking for help yourself when you need it. It does way more to reduce the shame attached to it than unsolicited "help".
Normalise respecting boundaries when someone refuses help.
Please keep inviting your disabled/chronically ill friends to things. We can't always come, but it means a lot to know we're still wanted.
My social circle has dwindled *dramatically* since I got sick, and the pandemic cut off 80% of what remained.
Even if I say no a lot it doesn't mean I never want to come. In fact, it means I want to see people more, when I'm able.