tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35743239.post2315583359825338782..comments2024-03-29T03:43:45.977-04:00Comments on Of Battered Aspect: Speak For YourselfDave Hingsburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11918601687946534172noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35743239.post-17673759234471306062019-12-12T09:48:08.707-05:002019-12-12T09:48:08.707-05:00Andrea - no, it was the push-handle, which is some...Andrea - no, it was the push-handle, which is some kind of hard plastic. (My cushion cover is topped with velvet, though! Very soft. It's a pity there are pants between the cushion and my skin.) And (though she touched the push-handle before she asked) I'm not sure if she was just leaning on it and calling it petting as a joke, or if she was stroking it. (She was spiritual of the 'ask the dating persons in the classroom about their zodiac signs to check their compatibility' so it wouldn't surprise me if it was the latter.)Myrthehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11301763543771931860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35743239.post-27303449120250825992019-12-10T18:52:13.142-05:002019-12-10T18:52:13.142-05:00Myrthe,
Whut?
She wanted to pet a wheelchair!?!!...Myrthe,<br /><br />Whut?<br /><br />She wanted to pet a wheelchair!?!! ... Does your wheelchair have fur or something to pet? Whut?<br /><br />I'm amazed, it's pretty rare these days for me to hear of a completely new (to me) way for abled folks to do silly things, but here we are!<br /><br />ABEhrhardt,<br />Unfortunately, stories of well-meaning people yanking away a door someone is leaning on for support is not such a new story, for me or anyone else listening to plenty of disabled folks I'm sure. But, that must be so aggravating, and I'm sorry you have to go through that so often!<br />Andrea Shettle, MSWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16984732076766787818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35743239.post-17115121021432494902019-12-10T16:32:05.975-05:002019-12-10T16:32:05.975-05:00That was great Dave in all the times I've been...That was great Dave in all the times I've been with you I witnessed that all too many times, even a gesture or well meaning comment in the end should be kept to their self unless you actually ask for help then you are capable of doing what you're doing without them.Michael souciehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17877447533804958372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35743239.post-64783409550341042052019-12-09T13:51:02.421-05:002019-12-09T13:51:02.421-05:00I hate to quash well-intentioned offers, but the p...I hate to quash well-intentioned offers, but the people who make them need to learn to listen as much as those who are totally thoughtless, or maybe more - misinformation is sometimes even worse than total ignorance.<br /><br />I am constantly having to tell well-meaning people not to yank a door I'm leaning on for support away from me!ABEhrhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17211038591900883672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35743239.post-21148261087250100702019-12-09T12:13:27.683-05:002019-12-09T12:13:27.683-05:00This reminds me of a long-term substitute teacher ...This reminds me of a long-term substitute teacher I had last the year before last.<br />For context - we have four special eduaction divisions in my country. Vision, hearing, physical/intellectual, and behavioural/psychiatric.<br />I went from regular ed to behavioural special ed, and from thereon to a mixed program (class periods in normal ed, and a special ed homeroom. It was a really terrific program).<br /><br />The substitute teacher had at one point in her career spent several years working in physical/intellectual special ed. She was bragging about her special ed expertise..<br />To a classroom that had only 9 people in it (the other half hadn't turned up).. four of which had been in special ed. (I don't think she knew that or even knew our school had that mixed program)<br />We didn't think her special ed experience made her special - after all, we knew special education was a lot more normal than she seemed to think.<br /><br />That was the first thing.<br /><br />The second thing was that when I turned up in a wheelchair one day (I don't remember if I broke my leg or busted my stump, but it came down to that I couldn't wear my prosthetic) and she stood next to my desk and put her hand on my shoulder. First, that wasn't alright because she didn't ask. And because it wasn't a brief pat, it was like she was leaning on me, so she absolutely had to ask. Second, because she had never touched me before and it felt infantalizing that the day she was touching me was the day I was using a wheelchair.<br />I asked her to stop.<br />She then asked whether she could pet my wheelchair.<br />PET MY WHEELCHAIR.<br />"NO!"<br /><br />I sent her a very stingy email later that day emphasizing the ridiculousness of her requests and she told me that she meant it very positively and that she knew how to interact with wheelchair users because of that several-years-in-special-ed.<br /><br />Uh, no.<br />If people feel violated by the way you're interacting with them.. you're not interacting with them right.<br />It really is that easy.Myrthehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11301763543771931860noreply@blogger.com