Shona
@shonalouiseblog
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Theatre Photographer | Freelance Writer | Access Consultant | | shonacobb21 @gmail .com she/her 🏳️🌈 🎭 ♿️
Hertfordshire
Joined August 2011
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So done with the UK benefits system meaning that as a disabled person I can’t move in with my girlfriend without losing most of my financial security. Why do we expect partners to pay for everything? Why aren’t I allowed any financial independence?
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PSA: saying that someone doesn’t let their disability hold them back is not the compliment you think it is. No one ‘lets’ their disability hold them back, societies inaccessibility is the issue, not us.
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It is one of the worst feelings in the world as a wheelchair user to get on a train, find the space full of luggage/buggies and have to start shouting to ask people to move things. It’s beyond embarrassing and makes me feel like a huge inconvenience.
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Bus driver: I’ll put the ramp down if you smile.
This. Is. Not. Okay. Will be complaining tomorrow morning!
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I’m a young disabled person who has multiple conditions and needs major heart surgery but it’s looking likely that my non-disabled sister and mum will receive the vaccine before me because I am not in any of the priority groups. I feel so forgotten in this pandemic.
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Overheard a child call my powerchair a ‘mini tractor’ earlier, me and the parent laughed before she corrected him and proceeded to explain what it actually was. And then she said ‘isn’t that cool?’ and I was honestly beaming. Parents, more conversations like this please 👏🏻
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Please don’t say ‘xyz has a disability but they don’t let it stop them living their life’ because believe me, the barriers in disabled people’s lives are the ones placed there by society, not by ourselves.
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I am beyond excited to introduce my new wheelchair accessible vehicle to you all, say hello to Matilda! 🚙 (blog post coming soon!) I am so happy I could cry 😭 the independence this will give me is indescribable!
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This piece is so ableist it’s unreal. Stop shaming pre-cut veg and the people who buy it/need it. I can’t cut up fruit or vegetables due to being disabled so, buying pre-cut fruit/veg like this is my only option.
M&S pulls ‘cauliflower steak’: here are other over-packaged, pre-cut veg we could do without
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I truly cannot say this enough: DO NOT touch people’s wheelchairs. Just had a waitress touch it for literally no reason, and when for once I was firm and told her not to, she was really surprised. Why is it surprising that you shouldn’t touch someone else?
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I have never seen anything as illegal as all of the disabled parking spaces being cordoned off at Reading station car park run by
@networkrail
so that people waiting to go to Reading festival have somewhere dry to wait if it rains. Absolutely disgusting, and ILLEGAL. Disgraceful.
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Today is probably as good a day as any to say that I no longer identify as bisexual! This year has really helped me figure out that I’m a lesbian (although prefer to say gay or queer) 🌈
#NationalComingOutDay
#ComingOutDay
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If some of you talk about me the way you are talking about Stephen Hawking when I die I shall come back to haunt you all, please stop with the ableist ‘he overcame his disability’ talk 🙃 he did everything *with* his disability, not *despite* it
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I’ve just been called a wheelchair user, rather than just ‘wheelchair’ by a bus driver for the first time, EVER. It’s the little things that matter sometimes. (Don’t @ me about how they should just call me a person, my wheelchair use is relevant to the context)
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Beyond impressed with these screens by the wheelchair spaces at
@NewTheatreOx
which shows a live feed of the show so that when people stand up at the end, you can still see!! GENIUS 👏🏻
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My healthy Mum has had her vaccine. My healthy sister is booking hers. Both work with children. And me, a young disabled person with a heart condition and medical history of ambulance trips for mild illnesses? I’m fighting with my GP to even be considered high risk.
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Every single time I mention the price of my wheelchair online I get people questioning the cost, asking me why I chose something so expensive. Powerchairs *are* expensive. I feel I have to constantly justify the cost by explaining my needs and disability to total strangers.
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Whilst I have everyone’s attention around accessibility in theatres I thought I’d share a quick list of just a few West End theatres I personally can’t even get in ✌🏻 some just have no access, others have small lifts with low weight limits! This is the reality.
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Your regular reminder that in 2023, as an electric wheelchair user, I can’t see Wicked ✌🏻it’s time the whole of the West End upgraded their platform lifts to a higher weight limit to accommodate modern electric wheelchairs!
@ApolloVictoria
@ATGTICKETS
Wicked extends run to end of 2024 as it reaches new West End milestone
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IM CRYING SO MUCH OMG WE’VE DONE IT WE’VE ACTUALLY DONE IT
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I’ve been approached several times now by The Undateables team and each time my response gets more and more blunt because how the hell is a show like this allowed. I am not Undateable.
‘Just because we have conditions or syndromes, we should not be called ‘Undateable’'
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IT’S HERE!! It’s everything I need and so much more, this will be truly life changing 😭 I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who made this possible ❤️
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I had a feeling this was happening but it has still hit me like a punch in the stomach. There is no accessible toilet at the Vaudeville and as a powerchair user, I can’t even use their stair climber to get into the theatre. I’ve supported this show from almost the beginning 😭😭
SAME QUEENS. DIFFERENT PALACE! 🏰 We’re moving to the Vaudeville Theatre from 29th September!
The 24 hour Queendom Presale (with no booking fees) is happening right now! 👑
Click the link to book your tickets:
#Queendom
#VaudeVIIIe
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Living with chronic pain really is just constantly deciding what is ‘worth the pain’ and what isn’t 🙃
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I truly can’t be bothered with people coming into my mentions to tell me that maybe disabled/vulnerable people should just stay at home in response to me questioning why many of us have not had the vaccine. Love to be reminded that people don’t care about my life.
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Today it’s the International Day of People with Disabilities and as a disabled writer, blogger and activist I feel like I should have a lot of content planned, but honestly I’m just tired. The name of the day alone is enough to put me off using it to educate people.
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I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST! 🥳😭 this is going to help my life so much, the relief!! 🚙
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You’d think hospitals would be super accessible, but my surgeon’s room is at the top of these steps and electric wheelchair users aren’t allowed to use the lift. Let’s see how this plays out.
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Pre-prepared food might seem like a pointless use of plastic to some but many disabled people, myself included, rely on pre-chopped fruit/veg. Sure, we should look into packaging alternatives but don’t remove these accessible foods completely, disabled people will suffer.
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I’m no fashion blogger or style icon but wow does it feel good to have a fashion brand repost a photo of me, a wheelchair user, on to their feed 😍 representation is so important and seeing more bodies that are representative of everyday life is how we make progress!
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This might not be a big deal to others but today I entered a theatre via the stage door for the first time ever. I was able to do my job in the same way as everyone else, via the same entrance. It’s a rarity as a wheelchair user.
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Really did not want to be tweeting this but staying quiet goes against everything I’ve worked towards when it comes to disability equality. I love Six so much and it pains me to share this, but the way the theatre industry treats disabled people is not okay.
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What about disabled and chronically ill people??
People in the UK aged 40-49 will be prioritised next for a Covid-19 jab, vaccine expert announces
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We are 4 years on from Me Before You. We told you all to stop cripping up, to hire disabled actors and creatives. 4 years on and you still won’t listen. The level of blatant ableism and disregard for disabled lives is disgusting. I’m tired.
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NEW: I'm Non-Speaking, I Don't Need Sia To Talk For Me by
@mccakela
| Thank you so much to Mickayla for this eloquent piece about how harmful 'Music' is, it's a must read!
#DisabilityTwitter
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I want to commission an autistic writer to write about the new Sia movie and why it’s so problematic for my blog! It will be paid, not much but as much as I can afford. Please send me an email if you’re interested with a pitch: shonacobb21
@gmail
.com
#ActuallyAutistic
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My nephew loves my wheelchair so he’s going to be so excited for this! This is the kind of representation we need that targets kids early on before society can teach them ableist views!
Squeak! Introducing the newest member of the playgroup, Mandy Mouse! 🐭
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Instead here I am working beyond my physical limits to make sure that I do have some financial independence to cover over the gap that losing Universal Credit would create. Just tired of being disabled in the UK.
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I’VE JUST BOOKED MY VACCINE FOR TUESDAY 😭 I could actually cry, the relief 😭
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I’m really happy to share an update on the situation with The Vaudeville Theatre and Six after speaking with Nica Burns from
@NimaxTheatres
earlier today. The door for conversation is now open and will stay open.
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Enough is enough. It's time the theatre industry gave disabled people the equality and equity that we deserve. Disabled voices must be heard.
Read my open letter here:
Screen reader accessible version:
#AccessibilityInTheatres
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I've shared this before but wanted to do so again because nearly everytime I leave the house I have this problem.
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This is a horrendous statistic. Stop assuming you know what Disability looks like.
Nine out of 10 people would challenge someone who doesn’t ‘look disabled’ because they think they’re doing the right thing
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How can this misinformation be allowed to continue?? I have never felt so disabled, so much of an inconvenience and a burden simply because I have extra costs every month that are out of my control. Extra costs for things that enable me to work and be a taxpayer.
The work & pensions minister says the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is "thousands of pounds a month"
If you qualify for the higher weekly rate & get the mobility part you get £184.30 per week, which works out at £798.63/month. So you don't get thousands of pounds a month
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As a disabled photographer I’ve worked with a lot of disabled people who tell me previous photographers have tried to hide or remove their mobility aids in photos. It’s disgusting.
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You actually could not write this 🙃😂 McDonald's hated new 'eco-friendly' paper straws CANNOT be recycled
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This is still surreal, but today after 42 shows and 3 years sat in the same two Royal circle boxes at
@julietmusical
, I was able to sit in the stalls. The new lift is going to make such a big difference and I was honestly speechless wheeling into the auditorium 🤩
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Important to note on
#InternationalWheelchairDay
that many disabled people have to fundraise for their wheelchairs. Yes, even in the UK. Often the NHS says no to helping us or they provide something unsuitable. I had to fundraise 11.5k for my chair because I can walk in my home.
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Sat on the tube crying because I was told by a member of
@TfL
staff that Farringdon is step free. Arrive and there’s a massive gap between train and platform. No staff around, worst fears come alive. Train doors shut and we pull away. Having to sit on the train until Blackfriars.
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One of my most recent custom crochet orders! 🦒
Send me a message if you want to request a little crocheted friend!
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This is amazing but I can’t help but hurt for everyone with ME/CFS and other chronic conditions who have been left without help and support for years. Where was the support for them?
NHS England has announced that People with "long Covid" symptoms will be offered help at specialist clinics.
Head of NHS England, Sir Simon Stevens said there were "tens of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands" of patients affected.
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‘It’s a pity, a good looking girl like you being in a wheelchair.’
It doesn’t matter how many times I’m told this by complete strangers, I still do not understand this mindset. She said this whilst also leaning on my chair with quite a bit of force 🙃
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If a disabled person is offended by something maybe you should listen to them, instead of listing why they shouldn't be offended.
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I made it through ❤️ currently sitting in a chair for the first time, very tired but we are managing my pain well and hopefully I’ll step down to HDU later ❤️ (don’t mind my swollen neck from the central line)
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To me it’s clear that I am high risk but because my conditions don’t fit the government’s neat boxes I will only be considered for the vaccine at the same time as my healthy, non-disabled peers.
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It’s actually been designed with wheelchair users in mind!! Accessible clothing on
@ASOS
😳 I seriously never thought I’d see this happen, so happy ☺️ I kind of want it
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My piece for
@MetroUK
about accessible pre-prepared foods is up! Discussing the recent M&S califlower steaks, namely the wave of ableism and disregard for disabled people that came with it:
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So, exciting news! I’m now officially self employed, which is kind of terrifying but also it’s wonderful that I’m not turning down paid work anymore! So, if you’re looking for a freelance writer to cover disability (or theatre) or a blogger to work with, I’m your gal! 🙋🏻♀️
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I am so delighted to share that not standing during the show will be added to the ground rules set out before the singalong performance of Six tomorrow! I can finally look forward to tomorrow now, rather than dreading it. This will make a difference to so many people.
Really did not want to be tweeting this but staying quiet goes against everything I’ve worked towards when it comes to disability equality. I love Six so much and it pains me to share this, but the way the theatre industry treats disabled people is not okay.
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If you’re writing about the plastic straw ban then PLEASE talk to a disabled person who uses straws about it, you cannot have this conversation without us when it will have such a direct impact on our lives.
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Please don’t just stop in the middle of the pavement without warning, especially in London. And when I nearly run into your ankles with my wheelchair as a result, don’t call me a silly cow. Thank you.
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This is boring at this point. Trigger warnings are access needs in the same way that step free access is. People are essentially saying, if you have access needs, theatre isn’t for you. We hear that enough without people coming for trigger warnings when it doesn’t impact them.
Judi Dench is the latest performer to speak out on the topic of the usage of trigger warnings, stating 'if you’re that sensitive, don’t go to the theatre.'
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Another blast of reality of being a disabled theatre fan. This is how many seats are left for the cast change performance of my favourite show, but as a wheelchair user with the choice of 1 seat, because that 1 seat is sold, I can’t attend. Beyond frustrated with this industry.
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A big unexpected accessibility win today. Thank you to everyone who shared my original tweet.
An update on accessible parking spaces at Reading Station during Reading Festival.
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The absolute worst part of being let down by public transport as a disabled person is having no choice but to place trust in the people who let you down when you travel next. Had an awful experience yesterday, have to travel on the same route today and the anxiety is real.
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"Nothing sadder than a
#HotPersonInAWheelchair
"
More like, nothing sadder than an ignorant ableist 🙄
📸:
@Fordtography
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A lot of my disabled friends, through no fault of their own, keep assuming I’m in a vaccine priority group, asking me questions about when I’ll be getting it. It really stings to know that my friends online can see I’m high risk, but the government can’t.
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Sometimes it can feel like I’m shouting into the abyss when I talk about accessibility in theatres, but today hasn’t felt like that. Today I felt like people listened and stood with me, and for that I am so grateful, because it can be very lonely fighting these things.
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I’m so exhausted from having to constantly complain and fight for my rights as a disabled person, and having to explain why I deserve the same things and experiences as everyone else. It’s astounding that I even have to explain that.
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Sitting in the Arts waiting to see
@sixthemusical
and someone comes in, takes their seat and says ‘apparently this is a true story’ I’m done 😂😂
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Just a standard day of being a wheelchair user when the first bus driver drives off without you and the second one won’t even ask the people with buggies to fold them, and only let me on to shut me up when I burst into tears. It’s been a shit day of access problems.
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Your fave two lesbians being a power couple 🏳️🌈 birthday celebrations and my first wedding!
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And so it begins. Who cares about disabled people eh? I’ve realised this year that I can write all the articles I want, speak on TV and tweet daily but if abled people want to do something, then they’ll just do it.
Plastic straws and cotton buds could be banned within a year
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I really want to compile a list of every theatre in London I cannot even get into as a powerchair user to demonstrate how poor accessibility is in this industry but I’m not sure what to do with that information once I’ve gathered it 🤔 a blog post perhaps?
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Stepping way out of my comfort zone today to post some photos where I’m visibly standing up, the first time I’ve shared such photos in years ☺️ just here to say that
#AmbulatoryWheelchairUsersExist
👏🏻
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Very happy to have this one in my life, my also very cute girlfriend 💜
Hello friends, I have a girlfriend now and she is v cute. Enjoy these photos of us being cute. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
#wetheLGBTQ
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Honestly hate constantly having to be *that person* calling out inaccessibility in the theatre industry. Every tweet I send I worry that I’m scaring away someone who potentially might want to work with me one day. But, we can’t be silent. Theatre should be for everyone.
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I really struggle to lift a kettle and have been looking into different options for when I’m living alone and I found this in the sales! It’s like a coffee machine, but it’s just hot water! No lifting! 🙌🏻
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Processing the fact that my photos are currently displayed outside a West End theatre. For a long time I believed this job was never going to be accessible for me, but I carved out my own path and now here I am! Beyond surreal 🤯 take a stroll past @ Soho Place to see them!
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I’ve finally been vaccinated! The relief I just felt was immense 😭 even though it takes a few weeks to work and even though it doesn’t mean life is back to normal yet, this feels like the beginning of the end of all this 💗
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Everything from tonsillitis to gastroenteritis has sent me to hospital via ambulance in the last few years, it’s obvious my body does not handle these typically ‘mild’ illnesses well.
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Once again I hate being ‘that person’ calling out inaccessibility in this industry but as a show that claims to be welcoming to all, as a wheelchair user I am suddenly not welcome.
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It’s surgery day! I’m first on the list so I’ll be heading down soon ❤️
@iridescentjemma
is going to tweet updates on how I’m doing until I’m awake enough to have my phone so give her a follow if you want to know! See you all soon!
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Happy Disability Pride Month! Ready for a month of being proud, of unashamedly taking up space, of not apologising who for I am or what I need, and generally being a badass disabled gal 💁🏻♀️
#DisabilityPrideMonth
📸:
@lizaheinrichs
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I didn’t want to tweet until I knew for sure but I’ve been discharged and I’m on my way home! Going to be a painful journey but well worth it 🥳
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NEW: I’m Tired Of Fighting For My Rights As A Disabled Person | “I am exhausted from complaining, from ranting on Twitter, from fighting for scraps of accessibility.”
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I see people rightly fighting for CEV & CV people to be bumped up higher in the vaccine list, but what about those who were never deemed to be in those groups? What about those of us who are high risk but no one at the top ever agreed? We feel so lost and forgotten.
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I hate ranting but I am beyond frustrated now. I constantly feel forgotten in this country as a disabled person, but when the issue involves something as vital as when I get a vaccine, I can’t stay quiet anymore.
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Another day, another parent with a buggy on the bus muttering things under their breath about me and generally just being quite rude about having to share the wheelchair space with, wait for it... a wheelchair user. No need for such sly and horrible comments.
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I knew that the Theatre Royal Drury Lane was being renovated but I didn’t know it’s going to have 20 wheelchair spaces on 3 levels and 5 new accessible toilets!! YAY for accessibility! (thanks for the photo
@emscrazynotions
)
#AccessibilityInTheatres
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This is AMAZING 👏🏻 Netflix Celebrates Enola Holmes by Installing Statues of Historical Women Across the UK
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Disabled is not a bad word. Disabled is not a bad word. Disabled is not a bad word.
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You know what hurts the most? I worked with
@sixthemusical
to help make their singalong performances more accessible. I gave so much to that show. And now, myself and many others just aren’t welcome.
I had a feeling this was happening but it has still hit me like a punch in the stomach. There is no accessible toilet at the Vaudeville and as a powerchair user, I can’t even use their stair climber to get into the theatre. I’ve supported this show from almost the beginning 😭😭
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