I know it’s not a priority when people are young but most of you will get old and/or become disabled at some point. By not standing up against ableism you’re shootings yourself in the foot because things will be a fuck load worse when you’re old and they’re already pretty awful

"You will either die suddenly or live long enough to be disabled." is how I have put it.

I HATE that the only way to get people to do the right thing is to remind them that they have wives and daughters and mothers.

That awful foot wound won't help.

It's the same reason I believe in things like welfare and support for the homeless. We're all one bad car accident away from being disabled. It's comforting knowing that if things go south in my life I'll still have resources I can turn to. Assuming you'll be able forever is a precarious position.

My issues started as I was entering the workforce. It's night and day difference how people treat you when you can't be productive. Especially if they are older than you and still abled. I'm still trying to get their voices out of my head.

My chronic health issues started out of the blue when I was around 21 when I was fairly healthy and active. It's likely I'll be mostly housebound for the rest of my life. It can happen at any point, not just when you're old - but everyone thinks it won't happen to them.

Older family members have taught me this I don't think of being disabled as something entirely different, it's something that is possible in the future for anyone Like health in general. Being fine is not a permanent state

My 93 year old grandma is suffering because 1, internalized ableism is keeping her from using aids like a magnifying glass and a walker, and 2, she has reached an age of mental deterioration that makes it difficult for her to learn how to use assistive technology like Alexa or audiobook apps.