Read on Twitter
I'm going to say something a lot of you don't want to reconcile with & a thing you'll click like & move on from.
Before I do, I want all of you anti-racists & all of you who had ACAB & BLM in your names to consider if *I* a cis-WW is effected, how BAME/BIPOC are effect by this.
Before I do, I want all of you anti-racists & all of you who had ACAB & BLM in your names to consider if *I* a cis-WW is effected, how BAME/BIPOC are effect by this.
Ableism is something I have found so many people are keen to be like "that's bad!" and then just completely ignore when they see it in their face.
They keep strings of emojis in their twitter names. They constantly change twitter names. They retweet ASCII art.
They keep strings of emojis in their twitter names. They constantly change twitter names. They retweet ASCII art.
They continue promoting their friends who (narrator voice 'this story is based off of real events') literally said their kitschy ASCII Bernie meme art was more important than deleting and reposting it as a picture of the ASCII art because 'my reach' 'but politics' 'but Trump'!
They sit in meetings where ableism is right there, clear as day and on the table, and they never point it out. They sit there, comfortable, in their departments that are failing their disabled students, where policies are blatantly ableist and they don't speak up.
Every time, every single time, I have been in a meeting where ~an ableism has happened~ it is *unanimously* myself or another disabled person who ends up calling it out. No ableds step in. No, if anything, they always try and 'calm things down'. They try and 'be neutral'.
When things come up talking to friends. The conversation always changes eerily fast when ableism comes up. It never gets the same response as sexism or harassment. Even though ableism in the academy is absolutely harassment of disabled and neurodivergent students.
And all of you, and sometimes when someone says 'all of you' they don't really mean 'all of you' - but I sure as fuck mean almost every single one of you.
All of you need to ruminate on that.
All of you need to consider why it is your activism so often stops at accessibility.
All of you need to ruminate on that.
All of you need to consider why it is your activism so often stops at accessibility.
The first time I got a major uptick in followers was because I called out March For Science for not having an accessibility plan.
That was 3 years ago.
I still had to call them out for that in 2019. Thankfully, to much less fanfare & sadly no response from them that time.
That was 3 years ago.
I still had to call them out for that in 2019. Thankfully, to much less fanfare & sadly no response from them that time.
What is it you just don't like about confronting ableism & accessibility & being accountable for it?
Not having cute twitter names that show you're totally woke? Cause disabled bodies make you uncomfortable? Cause you forget I'm disabled because I don't "look" it? The effort?
Not having cute twitter names that show you're totally woke? Cause disabled bodies make you uncomfortable? Cause you forget I'm disabled because I don't "look" it? The effort?
Most of you have tricked yourself that ableism and accessibility is totally out of your control. (narrator voice: based on true events) Most of you are just like the professor I'm reporting who told me 'accessibility isn't his job'. You don't want to reckon with it.
I have left group chats. I have completely left whole friend groups. I have left a university. I have left a department. I have left multiple jobs.
Because ableism is so often viewed as just 'acceptable' at some level.
Because its 'too hard'.
Because ableism is so often viewed as just 'acceptable' at some level.
Because its 'too hard'.
If ableism is too hard, what does that say about the anti-racist sentiment you say? What does it say about how you call out sexism? What does it say about your other activism?
Well let me tell you, its a great way to signal to disabled people that you're just playing at it.
Well let me tell you, its a great way to signal to disabled people that you're just playing at it.
When I see someone who is loud and proud & screaming ACAB but then doesn't offer support or isn't will to talk about ableism.
I make a note to not send any of my BAME/BIPOC students to them either. Cause you're all talk. You're all surface.
You won't be providing them support.
I make a note to not send any of my BAME/BIPOC students to them either. Cause you're all talk. You're all surface.
You won't be providing them support.
Ableds see ableism as removed from the rest of it. They see it removed from sexism (but girls can't be Autistic, only males Autistics get the genius-write-off for bad behaviour), but its removed from racism (Black disabled people are at higher rates for any type of abuse) 1/2
but its removed from queer/transphobia (yeah because the queer community is TOTALLY accepting and there's no way ableism creeps into it at all 
).
Its just removed for you. Its its own thing. 2/2
).Its just removed for you. Its its own thing. 2/2
Its not. Its not its own thing.
Its only its own thing because people, especially academics and those in educational positions, have decided to treat it so because its 'easier'.
To us? It just red flags that you're not actually willing to do any work at any level for anything.
Its only its own thing because people, especially academics and those in educational positions, have decided to treat it so because its 'easier'.
To us? It just red flags that you're not actually willing to do any work at any level for anything.
You all need to fucking reckon with the fact that if your buck stops and stops pretty clearly, as it usually does, at ableism. You probably aren't doing the anti-racist or support of sexual assault victims or whatever else you think you are.
Captions are such a great example of why the buck stops as soon as ableism enters the chat. "But they take me extra time & I don't have disabled students!"
What about invisible disabilities? Single parents? People in shared accommodation? Students with poor internet? 1/2
What about invisible disabilities? Single parents? People in shared accommodation? Students with poor internet? 1/2
Abusive households? People who have to do their studying on their work breaks? Or on a noisy bus or train? Students who are just exhausted? Just happened to have a headache that day?
Only one of those is ableism. But all are effect by this single, simple thing you can do. 2/2
Only one of those is ableism. But all are effect by this single, simple thing you can do. 2/2
When you say 'captions just take too long to get right' or blame it on your accent or whatever?
I know you don't give a damn about your disabled, rural, single-parenting, working, poor, or mature students.
So I know you don't really give a damn about racism or sexism either.
I know you don't give a damn about your disabled, rural, single-parenting, working, poor, or mature students.
So I know you don't really give a damn about racism or sexism either.
I know that you're lipservice.
I know that you're internet clout.
I know that you're not actually willing to lose white friends to protect your Black and brown ones.
And you need to fucking reconcile with that.
I know that you're internet clout.
I know that you're not actually willing to lose white friends to protect your Black and brown ones.
And you need to fucking reconcile with that.
