First post on tumblr in a WHILE and its a rant #oops !
Being physically disabled and trying to talk about it in a space with mostly neurodivergent, able-bodied people is tiring a lot of the time. I don't think they realize that our struggles aren't really comparable, but I don't want to make them feel bad by saying that.
Like, I was ranting about being treated like a reference rather than a person when I mentioned using a cane or being physically disabled in general. The person I was talking with compared it to people online making autism/adhd a fun-trend-thing. While, yes, that's also a shitty thing, I don't know if thats on the same plane as the dehumanization I experience from being treated as a spectical for peoples interests. As the conversation went on I felt entirely talked over.
Might as well get into the reference thing while typing...
Often times in spaces where I am talking about my physical symptoms with those who have autism and/or adhd (or just majorly interested in medical knowledge in general I guess? I dunno.) I will, unprompted, get medical advice or people will try to diagnose me with something. If I get upset at all, I get the response of it being their hyperfixation or special interest. I feel ashamed of being upset despite knowing I have every right to be because I feel like I am not being supportive of their interests by not going along. But, I am not a reference or a spectical and shouldn't have to endure being treated as such. Stop telling me I have x y and z I showed you a single screenshot from my echocardiogram I thought was cool!! 😠If I am interested in your input of what you think, I will ask directly.
I also have autism and adhd, for the record. I understand how people will struggle to realize how different our experiences are. But I dunno. Most of the time if I'm looking for community with disability, I try to find places geared towards those with physical conditions.
