Lately, I have felt the majority of my conversations with people have been around the word independence – why I fight so hard and why we deserve to have our Independence. Surely it can’t be that difficult to understand why?
Maybe it’s just me and my stubbornness to make the world a more inclusive place for not just myself but for other disabled people too. Being disabled shouldn’t mean the world is closed off when it comes to accessibility like housing, toilets, shops, holidays, hospitals and care.
It’s scary when you hear someone saying ‘going into a care home you’ll be better off’ do we still live in an era where sticking disabled people into a home is the best and only option, all because the world can’t figure out that we are still human beings with a right to make life decisions, whether it’s living at home with a supportive family or receiving help from an outside source. It’s down to us to choose and for the rest of society to catch up.
The majority of society think it’s very easy to be disabled when in fact we have to fight for pretty much everything that we have from equipment to care, it’s not handed to us on an independent silver platter. Everything is a post-code lottery.
The unfortunate truth is that no non- disabled person will ever truly understand what it is like to have to fight for your Independence daily, they’re never gonna understand how it feels to be told you can’t go to the toilet, you can’t enter a shop, you can’t have your own home, access to vital equipment that will save your life.
From the basic to the essential.
Being able-bodied, your capability and freedom to live independently and autonomously will never be in question. But for disabled people “independence” can be that one thing we feel like we’re constantly dreaming about and spend their whole life fighting for.
An ableist society is what disables disabled people. To win full access and inclusion in society we need to continually use this idea in all our arguments.
Kisses k
Come give me a follow and say hi.
Twitter | Facebook |Pinterest| Instagram
Posts you might like to read
Kerry Thompson - My Life, Kerry's Way. 
Just that one word “independence ” sums up everything I think most of us want and need to live a full life. And you are quite right that no one unless in our position knows as even my wife/carer still says “if you want to do anything just ask” grrr I don’t want to ask I want to do it myself!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes most definitely. It can become quite frustrating at times even though I pride myself in being as positive as I can there is always that one time when that word independence!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I had the care home comment and I fought back and said I would not accept any solution that was not an apartment where I could live with my husband who was then my fiancé. The people who were assessing me wanted to see commitment. We have been together over 14 years and married for a year and a half. If that is not commitment I do not know what is. And my husband is my carer. I hate the feeling that even when we describe or explain our needs, wishes desires or motivations well, it often feels like the people who should be accommodating them are lost for words and struggling to find a solution to help or come up with silly excuses. So we very often are forced to put up with a second rate solution that does not fit what we want or need.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow commitment really! That’s insane to ask that question when you have been together that long!!
Yes definitely – thank you for sharing
Kisses K
LikeLiked by 1 person