Wait HERE

I couldn't believe how I was spoken to, any of the three times it happened.

First I was directed by an airport staff to wait in a section roped off for disabled people to wait to be pushed to their flights. I am able to push myself to the flight, I didn't need and hadn't asked for the service. Second, another staff directed me to wait off to the side while Joe took the bags to be dropped off. When I ignored the direction and started to go along with Joe the same woman stepped in front of me and commanded that I wait off to the side and let Joe take care of the bags. In all three instances, across both people, the tone was like irritated parent with a naughty, disobedient child.

I ignored all the commands, asked the woman who had stepped in front of me to move, and I went with Joe. She was really, really angry, as had been the woman who had commanded me to the roped off area , that I didn't listen.

Joe and I always go up to the baggage drop off together, we need to get a tag for my chair and I always have questions about seating. I'm part of this too.

I get that people may think that suggesting that I not participate in my life think that they are offering good advice. I don't get why they get angry when I make my own decision. In both cases I had at least 20 years on them. I clearly am of age.

The freedom that people have to speak to disabled people so disrespectfully is astonishing to me.

The presumption that people make that we need to be governed by their tone and their intent shocks me.

The audacity to treat disabled people so differently without noticing the difference and the prejudice makes me shake my head in disbelief.

All because they think they are being:

helpful

kind

benevolent.

As a general rule when you think you are doing someone a favour because of who they are ... you aren't.

As a general principle when you think you are needed by someone who is busy about their own lives, leave them the fuck alone.

As a general guideline when you open your mouth and disrespect falls out notice, apologize and for heavens sake LEARN.