When I read stuff like that, it's not just exclusivity vs inclusivity that I note and take issue with. I feel like there's also a certain level of, I don't know, condescension? It's not really that. I call it the Brave Little Toaster syndrome, where I feel like I've been turned into a disadvantaged-yet-plucky cartoon character by the speech people use to "sympathize" with how difficult things must be for me and try to compliment me by telling me how *well* I'm handling things. You know, "considering the challenges I face." (Said in the most patronizing tone possible.)
It's not that I don't have gratitude for people trying to empathize/sympathize, but once in a while I get tired of being Special. It's like I come with my own short bus.
Anyway there isn't a LOT of that in the post- it's too short to convey it for one thing. Just the phrase "incredible challenges" always trips my triggers.
Loving 'Brave Little Toaster'! Haven't we crips all been given that burden to carry?
That's how the lady in the photo, featured on the blog, looks to me. She's pretty, young, female and black, with a nice smile - what a perfect poster child! In fact, I got cynical and wondered whether she were an actor, reminding me of Iron Eyes Cody http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/ironeyes.asp But the deformity in her left hand does look genuine.
I want to point out that I like Scienclens, the author of that blog. Phe has a good attitude and writes a lot of good blog posts.
Oh I'm sure. And there wasn't really anything awful about the post. I'd just like to have seen a couple more paragraphs that fleshed out the concept of people with disabilities as real people instead of two dimensional characters that we can feel smug about being "aware of."
Snork! I don't know what you're like in person but I've got a mouth on me. People tend to be 'aware' that I'm around ;-) But seriously, I can get quite oppressed. I use taxis to get to work and I'm tempted to make a catalogue of awful things that some of the drivers have said or done to me. But nearly all of the drivers are good, professional people.
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It's not that I don't have gratitude for people trying to empathize/sympathize, but once in a while I get tired of being Special. It's like I come with my own short bus.
Anyway there isn't a LOT of that in the post- it's too short to convey it for one thing. Just the phrase "incredible challenges" always trips my triggers.
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That's how the lady in the photo, featured on the blog, looks to me. She's pretty, young, female and black, with a nice smile - what a perfect poster child! In fact, I got cynical and wondered whether she were an actor, reminding me of Iron Eyes Cody http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/ironeyes.asp But the deformity in her left hand does look genuine.
I want to point out that I like Scienclens, the author of that blog. Phe has a good attitude and writes a lot of good blog posts.
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