1/ We desperately need more disabled physicians.

2/ Disabled people are literally dying because the medical field doesn't understand disability.

3/ Disabled medical students are constantly kept out, discriminated against, berated, and pushed out of the field.

4/ The work of advocacy is exhausting. And we're routinely told to focus on our studies rather than on defending our rights, as if that's a choice we can make.

5/ Anytime disabled/chronically ill/neurodivergent premeds or med students start a conversation on this bird app, it always goes the same way.

6/ We commiserate. We share our stories. Our tips. We plan and discuss.

And then the doctors enter.

7/ No, no, it's not "all doctors."

But it's enough of you.

8/ Stories about residency. About what you had to go through. Your opinions on the ADA. What you think makes a good physician. What you think is possible.

9/ To you, these are academic conversations to be had in an academic space. Maybe amongst colleagues. Maybe with a power dynamic of professor vs. student.

10/ To me and mine, each of these comments is a knife in the back reminding us that you think we're a liability. That we're dangerous to our patients. That we don't matter.

11/ It's all fun and games for you to try to parse statements, pontificate on how quickly or slowly we should go in terms of accessibility.

12/ For me and mine, it steals a night of studying or of rest that we needed during a global pandemic & collapse of democracy.

And it hurts like hell.

13/ I really, truly, try to be nice. I know that as a straight white man, I'm unfortunately seen as someone that is safe to talk to.

I write my nice threads. I take the time for proper punctuation.

I seem friendly enough for you to approach and question why my rights matter.

14/ So I've stopped writing my threads, unfortunately. A few of you have very kindly reached out and asked why. I didn't have the heart to tell you that it's because each time I do, I have to deal with the hole-pokers, the questioners, the naysayers.