We Aren't Inconsequential

Words by Teddi (he/she/they)

When I say everyone benefits from paying attention to disabled people's rights, I mean that they directly impact you even if you aren’t disabled—though the difference is between having someone be mildly annoyed at you (but being able to brush it off) and being unwelcome to take up space.

Out of all the dodgy elevators at uni, my least favourite have to be the Kirk ones. Even though they don’t take five minutes to arrive and they do deliver you where you want to go (we love the bare minimum!), they were not designed for people to use on level three. Considering that level three connects to the bridge and gets very crowded with people coming in and out of the large lecture halls, maybe, just maybe, the architect would’ve allowed room to wait around the elevators for those using them. Having the elevators in the middle of the most common narrowed path doesn’t seem like the best idea when people need to wait in the middle of a walkway. For someone non-disabled, it means that there is someone in your path blocking where you need to be. For me, it means I have less time to get on the elevator because I need to dodge around people, when it’s already a race to not get smashed by the closing doors—some elevators only open the doors for ten seconds. I really don’t need a physical reminder that my existence is inconvenient to those around me. 

There are these little things that just make life hard and show a lack of consideration for disabled people. There are so many that I could go on for days.

I’m hopeful that the new Ministry for Disabled People will mean more awareness for those that are disabled and will lead to more consideration of others who live a different life than the general population. So far, my experience of having disabilities is that government departments do not talk to each other. I tried to get mental health support but was denied due to being under the chronic pain team, who weren’t available to help for many more months. In my health records my name isn’t even correct most of the time since it’s only been corrected in certain systems and won’t automatically switch on all the rest. When I am too sick, I don’t care. I’m barely well enough to advocate for my own medical needs. 

Disabled people need non-disabled counterparts to advocate when they can’t. I physically can’t get out of bed some days but that doesn’t mean I no longer care. It means my voice is gone. Never feel bad for advocating for something even if only one person needs it because that person might not be able to have their voice heard. 

I am trying to get the laws around hysterectomies changed. As someone with endometriosis, my voice will be heard because I’m disabled, regardless of the fact that a hysterectomy is not right for my body. If it means someone else gets the help they need I am happy to email anyone and everyone, saying, “hey can you think about others please?” I don’t want anyone else to live like me. Being disabled is tough but a big part of that is the lack of accommodations and care.