When I was at a conference at Leeds University last month, I saw a sign on the wheelchair accessible toilet saying 'GN', as well as the wheelchair symbol, which I assumed, was short for Gender Neutral. I found this quite interesting as it raised a few issues for me and the purpose of accessible toilets … Continue reading Are ‘Gender Neutral’ loos another attack on wheelchair users?
In recent weeks I have been reflecting on what are the triggers that cause me to become annoyed, particularly in terms of what I read on Twitter. My conclusion is that what annoys me the most is when I feel my value in society is being undermined, especially when others do not see things in … Continue reading I need to feel I have a place in society
Housebound is one for those emotive words that the media loves to use, and it is often a term that is used incorrectly. Housebound means being unable to leave your home for reasons beyond your control, whether that is for physical, emotional or other reasons. I understand the term from direct experience. In 2009, I … Continue reading Being housebound is often an attitude
The response of social media towards the stealing of my trike. where my original post was shared over 24000 times, demonstrated the positive activity of social media that is possible and it was the sole reason that the trike was found and returned. However, it was only a few weeks before this that I was … Continue reading How I confronted my trolls
One of the myths of independent living that I have grown up with is that people with impairments are the experts about their situation, especially when it comes to what they need in terms of social care. This has led to a demand for self-assessment, where people with impairments decide themselves what support they require … Continue reading Disabled people are not always the experts
When I talk about the negative attitudes of left wing activists towards the idea that all people with impairments have the ability to make a meaningful contribution to society in terms of some form of paid employment in the long term, I am often asked to wonder if it is an attitude across the whole … Continue reading The Battle for Disability
