CripLit

Improving Crippled Literacy, one no-budget, low-quality video at a time.

[criplit]

I just followed you but I’ve been scrolling through your blog for the last few minutes and this is honestly the first time Ive felt like my future is going to be ok. I had a stroke and have neuromuscular issues (suspected CP) but I’ve always been able to pass as relatively “normal.” I’ve realized that my neuromuscular and mobility problems will get worse with age, and I was really scared about that, but now I see that it’s going to be ok! So thanks! I’m gonna go follow more disability blogs!

I don’t even know how to express how glad this makes my heart.

I haven’t posted to this blog in quite a while, for a variety of reasons--largely because my academic work started really focusing on disability and I just ran out of energy to talk about it on here as well. I’m still very active on my main blog though, and disability issues come up there often enough.

REGARDLESS.

There’s no way of knowing what the future holds when you’re dealing with a degenerative disorder. But there’s SO MUCH meaning and joy to extract from life all the same. I hope that you ride these good feelings for all they’re worth. And when they wane a bit, I hope you give them the space and opportunity to return to you--’cause they always seem to, in my experience!

Tons and tons of love and good vibes to you, friend <3 Don’t be a stranger!

[criplit]

it, of course, wasn’t the perfect story with the perfect writers and cast, but of the movies about disabled people i’ve seen it’s up there! again, i don’t have muscular dystrophy so i can’t vouch that it’s an accurate portrayal, but if you have some extra time i think it may be worth checking out

I’ll have to put it on my list, then! I appreciate you bringing up to me!

[criplit]

i watched it, and personally i did enjoy it! i don’t have muscular dystrophy so maybe it was different for me?? but i do have ehlers-danlos which severely impairs my mobility so to an extent i can relate. i think what i liked about it was that the plot mainly focuses on them doing something *because* of his disability, not despite it. there’s also a love story, which normally i’m not too big a fan of but there’s no “you’re cute for someone in a chair” kind of bullshit so it was a nice touch!

That’s good that the love story wasn’t so bullshit-y! That’s something I’d really like to see more of. And I’m not sure if I LOVE the whole “doing something because, rather than despite the disability.” I mean, is it “because” of the disability in the sense that his life expectancy is shortened? That’s understandable, then.

I don’t know, ideally it would be “doing something because it’s just something we want to do and adapting things so that we can do it.” In that regard, the disability is just something to work with rather than a motive.

[criplit]

you have muscular dystrophy right? have you seen/heard of the movie the ‘the fundamentals of caring’? what are your thoughts on it if you have?

I do have Muscular Dystrophy. Not Duchenne, of course, but yes: I can empathize to an extent.

I’ve not seen The Fundamentals of Caring, but I’ve heard about it and know the general plot. Honestly, I’m pretty much over movies/TV shows that use disabled characters as tools to tell the stories of whoever the main character is. Aaaaand I’m over able-bodied people writing the stories of disabled people, which is what I’ve heard this movie is kind of about? Like, Paul Rudd’s primarily a writer, steps in as Trevor’s care-taker, and after he quits, he writes about Trevor.

I get it. I’m not overly angry about it. But I’ve seen enough of that sort of thing, I’m not really interested in seeing it again. I want to read books and watch movies written from the disabled perspective.

And I’m REALLY fucking over able-bodied actors/actresses playing disabled characters. Super outmoded, in my opinion, and honestly just lazy. Harmful, as well, and super fucking unfair to disabled actors, but also just LAZY.

Perhaps I should give the movie a chance? I mean, are there redemptive qualities to it? Particularly poignant moments? A movie can be problematic in one way, but enriching in another, so I’m not trying to be exclusively negative about it.

[dailydot]

How Pokémon Go is creating a barrier for gamers with disabilities

The augmented reality gaming app has taken the internet and world by storm, as people are desperate to catch and collect the characters, making friends and getting fit along the way. But not everyone can fully take part in the cultural phenomenon.

[fthgurdy]

Hope Niantic listens and acknowledges this! The game isn’t even really out of beta yet, so much room for improvement. I also hope this pop-up community comes forward and helps disabled people participate. All those impromptu pokemon catching parties, shouldn’t be a big deal to organise carpools to get mobility impaired folks out playing as well. Or help people with mental issues like anxiety feel safe going out to catch some. Just like, if you’re going on a group pokemon hunt and can handle helping someone get there and back too, shout it out in the event?  I got faith in this. I see so many accounts of people having clean, positive gaming fun with Pokemon Go and I really believe most of us will want to share.

[fthgurdy]

I’m gonna reblog again because I see people in the replies going ‘just play normal Pokemon’ or ‘the point of the game is walking so you can’t change that’

Guys

Think for a minute about the shit you’re saying

This is the ‘should videogames have easy settings’ debate all over again and as usual, disabled people get the short shitty end of the stick. Just stop and THINK about someone other than yourself for a second. 

If the game gets a setting that allows disabled people to play, and you, despite not needing it, use it to cheat and thus feel dissatisfied with the game, that’s YOUR problem. YOUR fault. YOUR responsibility. Don’t you think it’s really fucking selfish to insist that a game should NOT cater to millions of physically disabled people who already have extremely limited accessibility to everything in life just because you might be tempted to use the special features to cheat?

[almostdefinitelydying]

Yes. This.

I am physically disabled. I cannot walk more than a few yards at very random intervals. I have the movement radius of an engineless car if I don’t have my motorised bike. I have a wheelchair for travel purposes.

I simply can’t play pokemon go like it’s “meant to”. I would very much like to try to play it eventually, because people seem to have so much fun with it. But as it is now it’s pretty much unavailable.. And snobby nerds gatekeeping doesn’t help either.

[adorabletrainwreak]

@autismserenity

[criplit]

I feel fortunate to play the shit out of this game on sidewalks and smooth walking areas, but I realize even I have a privilege, despite also having a disability. Even an “easy” setting or a “stationary” setting where you get unlimited incense or lures could make a big difference for people with all sorts of disabilities.

[puddle--wonderful]

My dad turned me into a LEGO.

[criplit]

CripLit--Why Wheelchairs aren’t Trendy Props

I got mad about this a while ago, but I had pressing deadlines for other things, so here I am, a solid week late to the party. Oh well.

[puddle--wonderful]

you seem pretty open about sex related things and disability and your relationship how do you and your bf have sex?

This one has been in my ask box for a few days now and you could say I nearly got excited about it…mostly because Jared insisted he had a great response to it.

Below is a little educational video he made. It gets a bit personal, so if you’d rather not know sexy-time things about me or about him, avoid. But I’m a big proponent of openness in terms of sexuality and disability, so I have no qualms. And I agree with everything he says–it’s always going to be a case-by-case basis and sometimes, the things that have to be worked out don’t involve the disability at all.

https://youtu.be/gUN7uWUXHHA

[criplit]

I felt like this was pretty appropriate here as well.

[criplit]

As a companion piece to a previous video from about 6 months ago regarding adaptive exercise, fellow tumblee @cavemanbowyer has offered up some tips on dieting and weight loss when you’ve got a physical disability that prevents or obstructs exercise, but you’d still like to shed some pounds.

[hthrrloooo]

For the sake of clarity, I have nothing against embracing. I love a good embrace. In fact, I’ll embrace almost anything—trees, people, eggplants, even toy ponies, but yes, I’m cynical about abstract embraces. This is because (as Ernst Cassirer once said) we are symbol making animals and we tend to make symbols most often when we want to sell something. At its core, “embrace your disability” means “love yourself, no matter how you appear” and you may very well say, “no one in his right mind should be opposed to this principle.” But I am. Opposed. The premise is treacle. It’s American gibberish. I have no desire to embrace my disability. I’m blind. I’ve learned how to live despite the fact. I am not more beautiful because I’m blind. I’m not less beautiful because of it. In this way, blindness is like a lawn mower. It’s a thing in my life. Who embraces his lawn mower? Maybe Frank Zappa did, I don’t know.

Stephen Kuusisto, “The ADA at 25 and the Embracing Problem” (via hthrloo)

[criplit]

CripLit -- Transableism

I probably said something offensive somewhere in here, but hey, this makes no flipping sense to me.

[criplit]

Do you find that having a significant other improves your self esteem about your disability? I've had people tell me that I'll feel better about myself once I have a boyfriend that sort of proves I have nothing to be insecure about and I don't know if I like that thinking.

I'm not gonna lie, it feels really good to have someone. It helps, big picture wise, to have someone that genuinely enjoys you, finds you attractive, wants to be with you, etc. But the irrational part of your brain, the part that's been nourished by strict social standards, the part that creates the insecurities, it still exists. That's a demon only you can fight. My boyfriend could tell me I'm beautiful every single hour of the day but that won't stop me from looking in the mirror like I did this morning and not much liking my round cheeks or wishing I was a little taller and more elegant. Some days, even my favorite green eyes look especially dull.Having a significant other is marvelous, I would highly recommend it: but NOT for the sole purpose of helping with insecurities. Because when my boyfriend tells me my green eyes are beautiful, he's not determining some essential truth about myself, he's telling me something about him. It's up to me to decide whether or not I own the beautiful green eyes as an intrinsic truth.You're still you, made up of the same matter as always, regardless of who or whether you're dating. The insecurities don't really vanish.They do cower, though.Just don't, under any circumstance, let a potential partner make you feel like they're doing you a favor for dating you despite your disability. But if you feel like that's the dynamic, bring it up, because insecurities will convince you of nutty things.Idk if that answers the question properly, I'm new at all this myself.

[cavemanbowyer]

Click here to support Bring Hannah and Jared Together by Jared SaltDaddy Hassen Frhr

In early 2015, two people through a random connection began the relationship of a lifetime. Unfortunately, distance is all that is now holding them back. Hannah is a 23 year old student and instructor at the University of Tennessee and Jared is a 32 year old supervisor for a leading heavy duty A/...

Check out Hannah and I’s GoFundMe! I’m trying to move to Knoxville as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I’m not a wealthy man. I’m trying my best to save and even earn more money than my job pays. This is hard as I work over 40 hours a week and being salaried (albeit a low salary) I cannot earn more from just my primary job.

[puddle--wonderful]

As suggested by an anon a month or so ago, here’s a thing!

[puddle--wonderful]

The following is a shit storm of ableism, some form of sexism, and generalized extreme douche disorder:

I’m at the pool. Fully dressed. It’s packed and I’m reading and minding my own business. A twenty-something guy, very fit (overly so), and tanned to the point of orangeness approached me and said he’d noticed me reading. Said, “I see the chair, but you’re still pretty, can I get your number?”

Weird, uncouth way of expressing himself, and while I was polite enough, I very firmly said no.

He said: “oh, yeah, ‘cause you can do better?”

-_-

So I laugh, say absolutely and that I already have and he told me to fUckInG PRovE IT BecAUSE HE DIdN’t seE aNYonE elSe eVEn REMotelY INteReSTEd.

I yelled out and asked who this child belonged to and the guy that had apparently invited him as a guest apologized and said he was just visiting and that he’d never seen his friend act so shitty, BUT I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL HOBBLE THE ASSHOLE IF I SEE HIM AGAIN.

Like, I don’t know what made the situation worse, the fact that I’m in a wheelchair or the fact that I’m a woman and should anticipate rude flirting as the norm anyway, like…

I don’t even know how to process this rage.

[criplit]

Any of my cripple compatriots ever have an experience like this?

[criplit]

Oh my goodness! You guys are so adorable. I don't mean to be pushy or anything but have you guys considered starting a kickstarter or gofundme to get him out to you sooner?

The thought had honestly never crossed my mind. I’m also very bad at asking people for money and know maybe one person that has any disposable income.

[criplit]

CripLit -- A Cripple Falls in Love

Self-explanatory. Platform change to YouTube. Also, one of the happiest videos on here so far and it gets 100x cuter than this, but I thought I should ease people in...

[cavemanbowyer]

Us!

[puddle--wonderful]

Everyone we ran into thought we were headed to prom. It was highly entertaining.

[criplit]

Cute story that you already know if you happen to follow my personal account, but lovely follower from this post...let’s just say Tumblr can be a superb matchmaking service when used correctly.

Also, there will be more videos. Pinky promise. And don’t forget that topic ideas are always welcomed!