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Category: ableism
Why You Don’t Fit In With People
Is it weird to be obsessed with not fitting in? The question used to take up most of my brain, especially before my autism diagnosis. I had hostile feelings towards people who seemed happy being different, and spent a lot of time analysing and resenting people who effortlessly made friends and connections. I used to … Continue reading Why You Don’t Fit In With People
On Mondays, We …. Feel Inadequate About Our Shortcomings
On Mondays, we feel inadequate.
We feel like a failure because we're turning up at our "stop-gap" job yet again.
We feel like a failure because we didn't get everything done we wanted to.
We feel like life is passing us by whilst we endlessly fail to achieve the changes we dream of.
5G Conspiracy Theorists Need Kindness Not Hate
The future is never clear, but right now it looks like a stop sign. Last week I couldn't post. Despite being inside almost all of the time, with no pressure to go anywhere or do anything, I had no energy. The world feeling like a crisis zone is taking its toll on all of us. … Continue reading 5G Conspiracy Theorists Need Kindness Not Hate
This Crisis Is Part of All of Us
This recent health crisis the world is facing feels surreal and inevitable at the same time. We're a closely connected species with masses of technology, but ultimately we're still fragile and biological machines. I've written before that whilst numbers are infinite, humans are not, and that's the limit of our financial economy. We know the … Continue reading This Crisis Is Part of All of Us
Tate Attack: When Carers Act As Security, We’re Turning People Into Monsters.
Trigger warning: discussion of disability-hate, autism discrimination, and violence by and against disabled people. Longer read than my normal posts. This week, autism's in the news. Unfortunately, it's attached to a violent young white man with murderous intent. Whilst the child victim faces agonising and slow recovery, from an attack intended to kill him, Jonty … Continue reading Tate Attack: When Carers Act As Security, We’re Turning People Into Monsters.
Do Joke Privileges Exist?
I propose we start acknowledging the privileges of hair-colour, handedness, parents, allergies and TV. The "Straight White Cis Male TM" is a cliche. I declare it's time for exciting new privileges instead! Let's get obscure, let's get myopic and disproportionate, let's get reactionary and ridiculous! I'll start... Being right-handed Not being ginger-haired. Having both parents, … Continue reading Do Joke Privileges Exist?
What You Can’t Do – “The Modern Worker Enjoying His Liberty”
Every week I try to write a post. Try to prove to myself that I'm a writer, a thinker, an activist. Some weeks it is easier than others. Last week, writing poured from me. Not writing anything would have been harder! Other weeks, it's like blood from a tired stone. Being a consumer and a … Continue reading What You Can’t Do – “The Modern Worker Enjoying His Liberty”
Rebalancing: Living whilst Working
This week, I took a self-care day off. Working 5 days is the norm, but it doesn't mean it's healthy. Right now, work tires me out more than when I worked 12 hour shifts 3 times a week. Technically, I get more time to sleep and recover, but mentally it's a challenge to stay focused … Continue reading Rebalancing: Living whilst Working
If Speech is Dangerous, Not Speaking Is Too
This post is mainly inspired by Mel from "Cussin' and Discussing", who is one of my favourite bloggers. Their well-written piece about the pain of emergency speech when your body isn't built for it is incredible. I can't claim to feel the exact same way about talking as Mel does, but their words are excellent … Continue reading If Speech is Dangerous, Not Speaking Is Too