This is about disabled people being weaponized against each other by those who wish to dismiss that disability is not just a spectrum, but also a legitimate limitation for many.
To simplify:
Say two people, who are cousins, have a migraine disorder. Cousin 1 has migraines 25 days/month. Cousin 2 has migraines 15 days/month. Both are effectively disabled.
Cousin 2 is able to live a “normal-ish” life and can hold down a part time job, manage their triggers and their medications work consistently. Cousin 1 can’t work because they have unpredictable triggers and medication works maybe 1/3 of the time.
Aunt to both cousins says to cousin 1, “Cousin 2 has migraines and doesn’t make it an excuse! You’re just being lazy and don’t want a job.”
That line, by Aunt, is ableism. Cousin 2 is not ableist, but unfortunately gets used as a concept to bludgeon disabled people who “act disabled” instead of being treated as an individual person.
This is not about an individual disabled person.
This is about disabled people being weaponized against each other by those who wish to dismiss that disability is not just a spectrum, but also a legitimate limitation for many.
To simplify:
Say two people, who are cousins, have a migraine disorder. Cousin 1 has migraines 25 days/month. Cousin 2 has migraines 15 days/month. Both are effectively disabled.
Cousin 2 is able to live a “normal-ish” life and can hold down a part time job, manage their triggers and their medications work consistently. Cousin 1 can’t work because they have unpredictable triggers and medication works maybe 1/3 of the time.
Aunt to both cousins says to cousin 1, “Cousin 2 has migraines and doesn’t make it an excuse! You’re just being lazy and don’t want a job.”
That line, by Aunt, is ableism. Cousin 2 is not ableist, but unfortunately gets used as a concept to bludgeon disabled people who “act disabled” instead of being treated as an individual person.
It becomes ableism when it’s weaponized.