I wanted this to be comic sans

tag posts with flashing lights with #tw flashing lights #flash warning or something like that.

do NOT tag it with #photosensitivity or #epilepsy. those tags are for that community and tagging it with that is dangerous for them

Addressing other things I’ve seen in the notes here:

“wtf, why would anyone not care about this?”

Ableism. People do not care about disabled people. 

“I didn’t know xyz! D:”

Now you do! Yay! Go forth better educated and more accessibly!

“Why is this not common knowledge/practice!?”

Ableism. 

“Why don’t devices do this automatically?”

I honestly don’t know enough about computers to answer this thoroughly. All I know is that my phone has a “dim flashing lights” setting and it does not help me. 

Tags from @23andtiredofbeingme :

“can we also add epilepsy and epileptic disorders don't always look like the classic falling on the floor and convulsing. It can manifest as repeated movements/vocalizations, confusion or dissociation, and as gaps in memory or perception. Learn the types triggers and signs!”

[reformatted tags for screen readers]

I always encourage people to learn basic first aid, and diagnosing different types of seizures is part of that. If for whatever reason you can’t get formally trained in first aid, there’s tons of resources online. Red Cross has a first aid app which is really great, I have no idea about its overall availability tho. 

Regarding tags! There are a LOT of different tags that are used. My philosophy (I saw this in the notes somewhere as well) is that it’s better to over tag than under tag something. Do NOT use any variation of “epilepsy” or “photosensitive” in the tags! These tags are places for disabled people to talk about their experiences not to be met with hazards! 

The current way that tumblr works is that if OP tags something, it will filter in every reblog. If not, then it’s up to each individual reblogger to filter it every single time. 

Some that I have filtered (I also have these filtered as content not just tags btw) 

flashing

Tw flashing

Flashing Tw

Fw 

Strobe 

Strobing

“This is literally so easy why are people still not doing this”

Ableism. 

@silverislander “hi arcane mutuals. This one’s important 👍”

Real as fuck 

Anyone who mentioned tiktok:

Yep. I do not have tiktok, in large part, because of this. The reason I feel safest on tumblr and mobile tumblr specifically is bc not only is it a text based platform, the app allows me to turn off autoplay for gifs. 

“Tumblr should have a filter for this like the mature content filter”

Yeah. Yeah it should. Ableism. Tags are the next best thing. 

“I don’t have epilepsy but I have problems with flashing lights”

Yep!! There are lots of causes and severities and effects of photosensitivity. I have chronic migraines and general photosensitivity. My pupils don’t contract properly, so the world is literally like an overexposed photo for me. I have to wear sunglasses most of the time to avoid migraines and flashing lights can cause migraines in under a minute. Photosensitivity is often related to sensory issues and I’m sure there are other photosensitivity thingys. As far as I know, epilepsy is the only one that can *directly* kill people, though migraines (especially sudden ones) can put people in danger via being unable to react properly to environmental conditions and impairing cognitive function, and sensory overload can cause meltdowns which may lead to physically harmful behaviors. Epilepsy is definitely not the only form of photosensitivity but it’s the most directly dangerous one. Seizures can cause brain damage and death. 

“Flashing ads are evil”

YES!! They are! Tumblr lets you report them, other platforms don’t because they are also evil. I have had to block MCR’s official instagram account because I was unable to use instagram when I kept getting ads with flashing concert footage. 

that’s everything I saw from recent reblogs, but one additional thing before I fuck off into the void again!

I cannot express how rigid this expectation was. First of all, with my condition, I wouldn’t have enough warning about my sickness to go to the doctor and request a note. For many people, this is exceptionally difficult, especially with the current shortage of medical professionals. Next, it ignores the fact that my schedule may not line with theirs because of my medical needs. Once, I had to visit a hospital a province away (which I was on the waiting list of for over a year) on the same day as an exam. I begged my mother not to take me because I was so nervous that I would be marked as an automatic fail. I was lucky enough to make it work, but that’s only because of my spectacular support system consisting of family members and wonderful doctors.

i got covid recently and it killed my immune system for like a month and a half. i kept getting sick back to back or every other week, and not only was i sick, but i also have a close friend who is immunocompromised so i really couldn't go to school. and yet they didn't count some of my excused absence notes from doctors. so now i am pushing 10 absences. and this is coming from someone who has urgent care covered by medicaid! im fortunate enough to be able to get a drs note when needed and im still on the edge of failing my classes, as when you get 11 absences in a course, you fail it. and if you don't want that, you have to do community service.

and then suddenly my calf decided not to want to fucking work (i believe it was an overuse injury?) and so i could not really walk for a day, and when i got to school the next day walking was so damn painful. but i had to suck it up cause i have 10 absences!

this is not even considering the fact i had to get checked out the first day of my period every period and potentially miss school the second day due to just how fucking painful it is. but nope! not excused. it only took until the fourth time this happened for me to get on bc. so this whole compulsory attendance thing is fucked.

and this is coming from someone who is able to go to the dr because of medicaid. this isnt even the worst of the worst. this shit is rigged and people with perfect attendance scare me actually

another thing with schools is that teachers are all-too-willing to completely spray the whole room down (or get a student to) with very strong smelling perfume/cologne/other smell sprays when it smells mildly unpleasant (such as if someone farts). and they NEVER have asked at all if anyone in the class has asthma or another breathing issue. so im like getting hotboxed in a classroom and it actually makes it 20x harder to breathe than whatever fart there was on the other side of the room. they really need to make asking this kind of thing mandatory

I don't like how hostile things get here. That's all. I'm not saying people who are disabled aren't allowed to be angry about genuine ableism. I'm just saying I'm tired of things feeling like they're on fire.

- sincerely, "shitstorm" anon

- @inaccessiblitykilledchaoticbuggy , I’m on anon cause I ain want you dipshits on my blog no more. Yall fuckin ended chaoticbuggybitchboy with yalls fuckin ableism and it sound like yall still ain got the fuckin hang of shutting the fuck yo and doing better for the disabled people still in the community.