There is. No safe way to be disabled, I don’t think. I mean, other than the inherent danger of being unable to do things needed to live in the world, I’m mostly talking about danger from other people.
But I feel like a type of danger not often talked about is that which comes from being visibly ABNORMAL but not clocked as disabled by most people in passing. Like, no mobility aid or visible disability aids, but you clearly are not getting around or acting like people expect in public. I have been in both positions. I have FND and have used a walker, a cane, and a wheelchair in public before. I no longer need a mobility aid for safe walking, but my gait and movements are still visibly abnormal. I sway from side to side at the hips, my left leg never seems to be able to turn correctly, my body will jerk a bit sometimes, and my balance is not great.
In short, I appear incredibly drunk.
And that has the potential to get me in trouble, danger even. Someone could report me to police, or confront me about it, and with my tendency to lose speech under stress I probably would not be able to explain. In public I get LOOKS. Not the quick pity-glance I would sometimes get with a mobility aid (though those suck) but these looks seem apprehensive. I LOOK DANGEROUS. And this is as a young, white, very physically small person. I can only imagine how it would be for a person of color, or any other demographic already perceived as hostile to bigots.
Being in public is terrifying for me. And fear/ stress only ever makes my symptoms worse, and thus I look even more suspicious.
I just thought I’d broach this subject a bit.













