Understanding Disability In fewer than 140 Characters
What it's like to be disabled online according to Twitter
Disabilities are one of the most misunderstood aspects of the human condition. When we think of disabilities, we immediately think of wheelchairs and lost limbs.
Disability is more diverse than these first thoughts. Disability can impact a person without any visible signs. Disability is a state of mind as much as a state of being.
What's it like being disabled?
Thank you for asking! I do so love this question. If you want to know what it's like to be disabled, there's no better place to look than Twitter.
1. What's it like? Depends...
First up is a disability everyone overlooks. She's wearing Depends and you wouldn't know it by looking at her. This is an invisible disablity.
Wearing Depends tells us a few things about the disability itself. It is likely a matter of urinary incontinence. Stephanie may need to take more bathroom breaks, but otherwise shouldn't have too many social or physical barriers to overcome.
Stephanie is trying to destigmatize the use of Depends.
2. Modern Poverty
Disability can lead to homelessness and poverty. People don't want to see the homeless and impoverished. It's easier if these societal issues are hidden.
Hare Stays Home is posting this as a crowdfunding effort. Judging by the hashtags, they seem to be trans and homeless with Dissociative Identity Disorder. All these conditions are stigmatized in society. We try to end their existence through ignorance.
Hare Stays Home is trying to crowdfund to stay alive.
3. Lamer Gamers
This person thinks they're the ruiner of Dungeons and Dragons, but we all know that isn't true. 4th Edition did that all by itself.
It's hard to say what disabilities the poster may have, except maybe a disability involving dislocating joints. That's not really the point here. This person wants representation in the tabletop RPG game genre, asking for prosthetic limbs and accessibility devices.
This isn't about an invisible illness exclusively, but rather a mostly visible presentation of disability in games. As of October 8, 2020, this post no longer exists.
4. Inept Politicians
This is a Twitter account intended to be disability news. Their point is to highlight disabilities in public.
This kind of account may be a single person or many people. It isn't always well described. What we know is they represent a neutral party. They might be able-bodied. This one is the personal account of John Pring.
This article highlights the lack of visibility in London's government in response to the events of 2020.
5. Disabled Journalism
This is a tweet from a freelance photographer and journalist. Well, it's a re-tweet.
Natasha may or may not have any disabilities herself. That isn't important. The point of the tweet isn't Natasha's ability. Natasha is trying to signal boost a disabled person's needs.
Natasha is trying to draw attention from fellow journalists to a plea for help. Kirsty Styles is looking for accessible tools for journalists.
Thanks for reading! You can see all my Vocal Media posts here. You can view my public portfolio at www.davidturcotte.com.
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