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#NEISvoid I just realized a disturbing trend in my experience:
Whenever Ive been with an abled friend & Ive needed to use a store or facilities mobilty aid-the friend asks staff members & they dote over her as they exclaim “of course! I’ll bring it to you!
”
Whenever Ive been with an abled friend & Ive needed to use a store or facilities mobilty aid-the friend asks staff members & they dote over her as they exclaim “of course! I’ll bring it to you!
”
Whenever Ive been out by myself-& realize Im about to pass out or have a seizure if I keep walking-I ask staff about the mobility aid & they just look at me like duh then point vaguely to some place FAR off in the distance & say “its right over there
”
”
So ofc my first instinct was to blame myself for this
“It’s probably not ableism. Its just that ppl cant be mind readers & I need to be better at clearly articulating my needs. I need to *tell* them that I need them to retrieve it for me”
“It’s probably not ableism. Its just that ppl cant be mind readers & I need to be better at clearly articulating my needs. I need to *tell* them that I need them to retrieve it for me”
Last month, I was in @FredMeyerStores using one of their electric carts & the battery ran out
I used the last of the battery to locate an employee & politely asked if he could get me another one
Dipsh*t gave me that same LOOK
Part contempt, part apathy
I used the last of the battery to locate an employee & politely asked if he could get me another one
Dipsh*t gave me that same LOOK
Part contempt, part apathy
Then told me I was welcome to go to the front of the store & get one
I was shocked (why tho
)
My brain started replaying ALL the times an abled friend has asked places where the mobility aid is AND THEY VOLUNTEERED TO GET IT FOR *HER*
I was shocked (why tho
)My brain started replaying ALL the times an abled friend has asked places where the mobility aid is AND THEY VOLUNTEERED TO GET IT FOR *HER*
*after* looking at me like Im an adorable baby & doting on her as tho shes a new mother
And here I am having to explain my situation and needs thoroughly and eventually *argue* with this bag of d*cks for 10 minutes
And here I am having to explain my situation and needs thoroughly and eventually *argue* with this bag of d*cks for 10 minutes
while he tells me that he ‘really has no way of switching the mobility aid’ for me
‘Its not my department’
Then he suggests that maybe someone from customer service could do it except that theyre closed & dont open till morning
‘Its not my department’
Then he suggests that maybe someone from customer service could do it except that theyre closed & dont open till morning
So with everything else going on in my body at that time, Im having to keep my composure (I felt like i was about to burst out UGLY crying) while coping *just enough* of a f*cking attitude to make his life hard so he would go get them d*mn thing
He kept telling me the battery would probably make it over to the electric cart area. HE WOULD NOT JUST F*CKING WALK TO THE FRONT OF THE STORE AND DO IT
It ended with me insisting that he walk with me so Im not stranded halfway there
It ended with me insisting that he walk with me so Im not stranded halfway there
Hes like ‘oh well if that happens you can just grab another employee or come tell me & I’ll do it”
At this point, Im having to feel like THE BIGGEST KAREN EVER as I snap at him “what part of needing an electric cart says to you that I can f*cking walk around freely?”
At this point, Im having to feel like THE BIGGEST KAREN EVER as I snap at him “what part of needing an electric cart says to you that I can f*cking walk around freely?”
Im fuming at this point, after starting out SO polite
He finally agreed to follow me, the battery ran out. He got the cart, and was then acting super nice about it
He finally agreed to follow me, the battery ran out. He got the cart, and was then acting super nice about it
Which seems to be part of the pattern here: reveal yourself as an ableist piece of sh*t, then after im freaking out, quick act nice so it would seem petty to talk to management
I am SO the f*ck over this
And ppl wonder why Im mad
I am SO the f*ck over this
And ppl wonder why Im mad
Worst part about it? I never took his name because I knew I wouldn’t report it to management
Because I was still so embarrassed about loosing my sh*t in @newseasons after being dismissed, gaslit & virtue signaled & lied to repeatedly by management there while trying to get them to DO SOMETHING about the discrimination I experienced in February
So I guess thats just it then? I can expect able bodied ppl asking about mobilty aids on my behalf to get smiles & actual assistance while I can just go f*ck myself because disabled ppl shouldnt be allowed in public without handlers anyway?
