Able-Bodied Privilege

[I'mOneToo]

Typically, differently-abled people are viewed as a drain on society's resources, rather than contributors to it. I DO pay taxes with ever dollar I spend. But when I shop at a market and discuss access issues with management, they look at me like I'm a three-headed goat. They talk at me, but not to me. They say conciliatory words but somehow it's always "corporate" who's responsible for the lack of accessibility in the locality, never the locality's management. Never having been asked to speak on the behalf of differently-abled people, all I can do is try to make inroads where I see there is a lack, by speaking to management. This is a challenge in itself, the very act of speaking. In body and mind, I may be a little on the humpty dumpty side, but not in heart. That is intact. And is fully functioning, and capable of feeling every facet that one who is "able" can feel. But I'm talked down to, like a pre-verbal infant. Or people who shout, as though hearing is a problem (it's not). Then, there are people who finish my sentences and have no fucking idea what they are talking about because it's MY SENTENCE DAMMIT LET ME FINISH IT. Uh oh. I feel a rant coming on. I have a longer list than I thought. Better stop.

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

NO! City planners all over need to get it together to provide access! People that don't deal with disabilities are the one's with the privilege... the whole damn world is built for them. Yet, here in the US as the masses of baby-boomers age, more acess is needed. And more awareness. This is a huge population that has paid into various systems like social security.

Hummm.. just thought of something else, the belief that disabled people do not work and thus don't pay taxes that are used for public building, and buy homes, shop in stores... you know, consume goods and services that we all need in order to have a working economy!