#disbaility

If you’re not masking to protect yourself and your community (especially disabled members of your community)

Have you considered:

- Masking because it’s cold out?

- Masking because you can decorate it?

- Masking so you can frown at a customer without them seeing it?

- Masking to not contaminate food?

- Masking so masks don’t get banned by assholes for being worn almost exclusively at protests?

Russian alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina, who won a gold medal at the 2026 Paralympic Games, refuses to answer questions from foreign journalists about the war that Russia launched against Ukraine, saying in an interview with the Russian propaganda TV channel Match TV that she considers such topics political and tries to ignore them.

The 23-year-old athlete from Moscow said she is focused on the competition and wants to enjoy the atmosphere of the tournament in Italy without touching on topics related to politics.

“To be honest, at first they ask about travel. And then they move on to political topics that I would rather not address. I just avoid answering. Why talk about it? This is sport, everyone is equal here. I want to enjoy this amazing atmosphere in Italy. We trained in Italy before, and there was no negativity or conflicts. Everyone welcomes us very warmly. It’s incredibly nice!” the Russian athlete said.

At the same time, the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine states that since the beginning of the XIV Winter Paralympic Games in 2026, the Ukrainian national Paralympic team — its athletes and coaches — have been experiencing systematic pressure from representatives of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Games’ organizing committee.

The leadership of the team and its members tried to avoid a radical reaction to these manifestations of pressure, hoping that they were random in nature and not directed specifically against the Ukrainian team. However, recent events have shown that these actions are systemic and are taking on a critical and disgraceful character toward both the team and its members,” the statement of the National Paralympic Committee says.

It is noted that at first representatives of the organizing committee forced the Ukrainian team to remove the Ukrainian flag from the place where the athletes were staying. A few days later they allowed it to be hung again, but in a location where it would be less visible.

“Every evening the team gathers for 10–15 minutes in the common hall of the building where we live together with other teams to briefly summarize the day and determine plans for the next one. Because of this, representatives of the Organizing Committee and the IPC put pressure on the team and its members every day, claiming that such a short meeting is unacceptable and allegedly prohibited by some document or regulation that has never been clarified,” the Committee reported.

In addition, during the medal ceremony champion Oleksandra Kononova was forced to remove earrings with the Ukrainian flag and the words “Stop War”, without any explanation.

Furthermore, representatives of the IPC and the organizing committee confiscated Ukrainian flags and scarves with Ukrainian national ornaments from the family of Paralympian Taras Rad.

People assume that all ancient cultures looked down upon disabled people in their communities because they "couldn't contribute" to the group.

This is the polar opposite of the truth in several cultures throughout time and space.

For example, a young woman from 2000-1800 BCE had a deformed arm as well as leg bones which would have affected hip motion. She was buried with several very valuable items.

This, combined with how healthy her teeth were, suggests she had a high standing in society.

More than anything, I was made to feel like a failure because of my dyslexia and dyscalculia

I was constantly told I was smart and evaluated as if I was neurotypical intelligent

But I would always struggle, I would always fail to live up to expectations because the thing about neurotypical intelligence is you are expected to be good at everything academic, maybe you excel at one thing, but you aren't really bad at anything, struggling with language or maths is never even considered for neurotypical intelligence

And there I was struggling to read, coming out as dyslexic and being hit with "but you're so smart" with varying levels of derision and confusion

Struggling with basic maths as people praised my intelligence and dismissed my grade as nothing impressive because it was what they expected of me, because they didn't see the anxiety I had over adding numbers together, they didn't see how my difficulty with numbers was covered up by my intelligence, I could do logic, I could do complicated problem solving, I couldn't tell you what 13% of 500 was without feeling anxious and freezing

People looked at my grades and they only saw someone smart, they didn't see how I struggled, they didn't see how I tried to meet expectations and fell short, because reading is exhausting and numbers make me anxious, they would dismiss my struggle because "you still did well, it's still a good grade" and it was, but it wasn't good enough

I was being compared to the neurotypical with the same predicted grades as me, the neurotypical who did better in all their exams than me, and I never met that expectation

Many times, when I am in public, perfect strangers feel it’s okay to ask me, “What happened?!” in a shocked and concerned voice.

I assume they are referring to the fact that I walk with a cane. I assume their intentions are entirely good and kind. I assume often it’s curiosity about something with which they’re unfamiliar.

But that’s a really entitled stance to take: you get to evaluate, comment upon or pry into the private condition of someone else’s body/life because it is not like yours.

People have said this for years, but instead of feeling entitled to comment and pry, and to be excused for “not knowing” and just “trying to learn,” I suggest, if one is tempted to stare at or make comments about another’s body (their ability, their way of talking/moving, their culture, their physical appearance, their choices...):

1. Stop. Hang back. Don’t speak for 30 seconds (this is harder than it sounds).

2. Listen. Observe without asking questions.

That’s it. That’s the entire plan.

I’m gearing up to participate in the Women’s March tomorrow in NYC in response to the American Presidential Inauguration, and my partner and my friend (both social workers) both insisted that I use my wheelchair instead of walking with my cane. They are probably right to suggest this, but I’m dreading this experience. I’m dreading being so visible, so open to everyone’s evaluation and comment.

Especially if I happen to get up from the chair--able-bodied folks expect that the only people who can/should/do use a wheelchair are para/quadriplegic people, and anyone else doing so is a faker and a lazy jerk. (Because of all the, you know, PRIVILEGES that come with using a wheelchair. Like inaccessible spaces, limited bathroom access, peoples’ stares, blisters on your hands from turning the wheels, many counters being too high to accommodate you... I won’t go on. You get my point.)

Come to think of it, though, even when people decide you “need” a wheelchair (and the minute you are using one, everyone else seems entitled to decide about the legitimacy of your body and your disability), they treat you like a faker and a lazy jerk.