Today, I saw an article that referred to a hate incident that happened to a chap I follow on Twitter. He was at a garage and someone hurled a stream of abuse at him, saying, "Boris is going to deal with "all you f.....g disabled scroungers!" Unlike the church example, this one was fuelled by hate, rather than love... but it still contained the same message - that disabled people can't provide for themselves and that we need to be looked after.
So what I want to communicate is actually from the opposite angle. These are examples of how we are perceived (with good or bad motive) as being different. And okay, I am different. We're all different in one way or another. It's not just about church, although it has bemused me at times that I feel more equal at work than in church. Maybe that's because I'm at work for 40 hours a week and at church for 2. It's about the whole of life and what equality would actually look like.
Access
For me, the biggest issue is always access. Can I go where everyone else can go? Can I do what everyone else can do? Can I access life as an equal?
At work, I would say mostly, yes. I can get into the car park, park in a space that is wide enough for me to unload my chair and Liggy. I can get into the building quite easily, move around the building, including the kitchen. There is an accessible toilet - okay there are some frustrations there, as I spend a disproportionate amount of time waiting to get in there. Maybe there should be more accessible toilets if so many people need them.
When I go shopping, most places are accessible. Supermarkets are mainly okay, though they could improve our local Morrisons by having one wide aisle that isn't a double aisle. I feel rather self-conscious when I'm waiting in the checkout queue and someone next to me could move on but can't get their trolley past me.
Clothes shops can be a pain. I can usually get in just fine but often the rails and displays don't allow me space to get round. The same goes for places like Savers. Their products might be cheaper than Boots' but I can generally get round Boots and not Savers.
Church is a mixed bag. It's not our building so in some ways, we can't influence the things that hinder access. While we're there churching, there are swimming lessons and most of the parents park in the blue badge car park, rather than walking 100m to the main car park. They park too close together for me to get a chair through, let alone Liggy next to me. They create spaces that don't exist. Honestly, it irritates Neil more than me but it does reduce my access, particularly when leaving at the end.
Inside is fine. The toilet is good (got a heated seat!) There are no carpets, which makes my life very easy. The doors are automatic or left open. It's split level but we've got a ramp that I can use to get to the lower level, if I want to. I don't usually bother though. The ramp is very close to the edge and I'm rather protective of my knuckles... and Liggy could only go down and not up, as she's on my left and the ramp touches the wall on one side. But if I really needed it, Neil could shuffle it around a bit and it would do its job.
Perception
I'll be honest, the only place where I feel really equal in terms of perception is at work... well, and at home. Home should be a given though. At work, people just treat me exactly the same as everyone else. They expect equal standards from me. That was the same in my previous job too. It's sometimes harder to get the right job as a wheelie, but once in, the chair makes no difference at all.
Out and about, shopping, eating out, etc. I usually feel equal. Sometimes people will give the impression that I'm less until they talk to me or get up close but then they realise I'm okay. It's just my legs aren't so good. The exception is when my tremor is bad. Then sometimes people think I'm drunk or terribly nervous. That doesn't make me feel very equal but I can understand it. If they hang around long enough or if they ask, I'll explain that it's a neurological movement disorder. I sometimes explain it as being Parkinsons in reverse. Essential tremor is when using the limb, Parkinsons when resting... also less harmful, but just as embarrassing.
In church, some people treat me like a normal person. They don't assume I need help with everything or that life must be terribly difficult. Others... I'm not so sure. I still occasionally get people expressing surprise or shock that I actually have a job. I get people assuming that if Neil is not with me, it must be more difficult. I get people assuming that moving around is difficult or slow. I try to be patient but it's frustrating how little they really know me. Again, it's all motivated by love but the message is that I am somehow less of a person.
Space
Space can be connected with access but I don't mean that kind of space. Personal space is important too. This is where I admit, I'm not equal. I take up more space than a non-wheelie without a dog. Wherever I go, I take up more space. If I go out for dinner, I need two spaces - enough for a wide chair and Liggy's bed. In church, I need enough space to sit comfortably but also space to move... to go to the loo... to get a coffee, etc.
Personal space includes what is going on around my head and face level. If a group of people are chatting, they don't tend to stick their elbows up in front of other people's faces. They don't put their bags in faces and they generally don't lean on each other, as though free standing is just too tricky. Yet when I'm in a group, having a chat, I am often distracted my someone's elbow just inches from my eyes. If they were to turn suddenly, I'd get a black eye. Of course, they'd be all apologetic and it wouldn't be intentional, but that wouldn't help me much. It would be easier if they began with a bit of spacial awareness.
It's the same for Liggy, she has been trodden on twice now, in such a way that she was hurt. Both times were in church (different churches) and both times by people who were just oblivious to their surroundings. Maybe that's why I like a lot of personal space, especially in church!
Leaning on my chair is something that makes me feel quite sick. The movement it produces causes pain in my back and makes me feel seasick. Plus, it's widely acknowledged as being extremely rude. It doesn't happen a lot now, as I don't have handles on my chair but still some people seem unaware that they are even doing it. The only people who are really close enough to be touching are my close family and best friends. Neil - fine. Josh/Andy - fine. My mum - fine. Pretty much anyone else - not fine.
I'm not equal but I don't want to feel like less
I don't like it when a situation or a person makes me feel like I'm less of a person or have less rights to exist than others. However, I acknowledge, there are situations when we're not equal:
- I can travel more quickly than you (unless you are a jogger/runner/cyclist) so if you hear me behind you, you might want to move over and let me overtake.
- My upper body is much stronger than that of the average middle-aged woman (so don't give me cause to sock you one!)
- You need a degree in civil engineering to take my chair to pieces and reassemble it. I have this skill. You probably don't. Don't feel bad about that. You can probably do deckchairs. I never mastered them.
- I have awesome problem solving skills. That's because society makes me practise them every day. So don't expect me to be easily defeated.
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