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I've been trying to write this post for about two months but something always comes up. Today, I'm feeling sort of glad that I kept putting it off because I have even more great links to share. Funny how that works sometimes, isn't it?
Badger aka our own Liz Henry is the woman who inspired this particular post in the first place. She has written more great pieces about dealing with disability and going back into the wheelchair than I can possibly link. I particularly loved her moody retrospective, start there and then move to this one, then this one and this one, this one, too, and here, and finally this one. Liz, being Liz, always has an interesting perspective and doesn't pull any punches. Read these posts, you'll find yourself thinking about disability in a way you probably never have before.
A quick lesson in wheelchair manners:
1) Please ask before touching!
2) That goes for pushing the chair especially.
3) My lap is not your shelf.
4) I'll ask if I need direct help.
5) "Would you like help" is fine, good manners; "Here let me do that for you" while doing it already -- is not. I value my abilities.
6) Walking beside me is nicer than walking behind me; then I can see you.
7) Coming down to my level for conversation is extra polite, thanks! Looming over me especially from behind... not so much.
8) Think of the chair as an extension of my body or personal space, treat it as such.
9) Thanks for unblocking my path so I don't get trapped, much appreciated. Move your backpack out of the aisle.
10) Really, please don't move the chair! I wouldn't pick you up and move you, would I?
11) Please don't bump it either, it's annoying and often it hurts me.
12) Let's talk about science fiction and feminism instead of wheelchairs and disability and pain, once we get past introductory chit chat.
13) No I don't really want to listen to your process your feelings and fears about disability unless we're already friends.
14) No I don't want your medical advice unless I ask for it.
15) If I ran over your toes, my bad, I'm so sorry
16) I'm not here to satisfy the whims of your curiosity. Why do you need to know? Why do you want to know? Could you possibly put off finding out till you know me better?
Once you stop clicking through badger's retrospective, maybe you'll want to think twice about buying an iPhone and consider buying a wheelchair instead.
"1 wheelchair = 2 iPhones
Rachel and I decided that as cool as it would be to be the first kids on the block with an iPhone, it would be a lot cooler for some kid to go down the block in a wheelchair. So we donated the money for our 2 iPhones to a charity that provides wheelchairs. We spent the time we would have waited in line doing much more enjoyable things, believe me.
Thank you for putting things in perspective."
Now for something a little sexier - ok a lot sexier, Wheelchair Dancer blogs about sex and disability at the Museum of Sex... then again, maybe it's not sexy enough:
The small exhibit had some photographs of naked disabled people, sometimes with a partner, sometimes not. The photographs are but a small selection of the series (I actually prefer some of those in the catalogue that were not displayed). Overall, we all found the photographs "nice," "beautiful," "interesting," but we came away underwhelmed. One friend turned to me and asked, "Do you think they're doing us a favour?" "No," I replied, "but I know what you mean."
Don't miss Pam's post about Travelers with Disabilities, she's got some great links in there.
~~Denise
iMedix: Health focused social networking and Michelle likes a doctor who shares
