Thread by @ravenscimaven, So, I have ADHD and I want to share something that happened. [...]

So, I have ADHD and I want to share something that happened. I recently did a shoot with a network. They didn't have a teleprompter and were feeding me lines verbally. They said it took me 2x as long to complete filming than other people have and were visibly disappointed. 1/

I asked them several times, please don't feed me the lines, I can't remember this even though I know you just said it to me, and these are simple short sentences. They didn't have a teleprompter and refused to accommodate me at all. It was very frustrating. I almost cried. 2/

I said, "I have ADHD and I am trying my best to recall what you are saying, but I really can't do this how you're asking me to do it." I then had to explain that memory recall tests are literally how kids are diagnosed, and they had a front seat to me failing this test HARD. 3/

I can tell they never worked with a scientist with any type of learning impairments or disabilities and I definitely felt judged. They seemed to not be able to connect the fact that I was sharing really cool science knowledge with the fact that I also have an impairment. 4/

I was super disappointed by the lack of accommodations and I wanted to walk off of the set so bad when they told me they wouldn't put the words on a screen for me to read even after I almost started crying. It was just a matter of copying and pasting. 5/

When my episodes air I don't know if I'll share it because I look really sad and out of character due to what was happening on set. I really did try my best and at least I know for next time when people are hiring me to come shoot with them, I need to ask for ADHD accommodations.

By the way, we shot for ten hours. So I put up with this for ten hours straight. We had originally planned for ten hours anyways, but instead of getting through 12 episodes, we got through 6.

I can't express the feelings that I have, I feel (used?) (hurt?) it just feels really bad. I am never letting that happen to me ever again, and also hoping that no one ever does this to me ever again.

I want to add that they also would NOT let me go off-the-cuff and say whatever I felt my interpretation of their words were. They wanted me to repeat verbatim and wouldn't accommodate anything else. It was honestly terrible.

I'm also a damn good teleprompter reader. You wouldn't have really even known that I was reading from one if they gave me one. And I wouldn't have needed one anyways if they let me go off-the-cuff.

I've always been transparent about my ups, downs, and all arounds... hoping that this at least reminds someone to not judge a book by its cover... and to be ready and willing to accept and accommodate for disabilities, even ones you can't see. Smart people have disabilities, too.

Well, one thing I AM happy about is my clothing store I opened this week @SmartyPantsGear. Feel free to check it out if you’re interested. Something to smile about! Thanks for listening. http://SmartyPants.Store

Smarty Pants

The best trends in fashion for smart people who love to shine.

http://SmartyPants.Store

This is for people who want to get to know me https://twitter.com/ravenscimaven/status/1333577144564379648

https://twitter.com/ravenscimaven/status/1333577144564379648

For those who are curious how bad my memory recall is, I can’t repeat sentences that have more than two parts. Like, “Susan and I walked the dog to the grocery store, the park, and the zoo last Sunday afternoon.”

I’ll only remember one place and the time of day. Can’t repeat it.

But just because I can’t repeat it immediately doesn’t always mean I don’t know what’s happening. Sometimes I just need time to think about it because I heard it and I also need more information to process it and connect the dots of what you’re saying.

and people with ADHD can do cool stuff like this https://twitter.com/ravenscimaven/status/1332371768103854082?s=20