Elsipogtog man becomes Parliament's first Mi'kmaw interpreter

An Elsipogtog man is set to become the first interpreter of the Mi’kmaw language in Canada’s parliament.

from CBC | New Brunswick News http://bit.ly/2wJ8dPM

George is out here trying to get laid with a poster at the pride parade at ninety years old

This is George Montague, he’s an author who is currently campaigning to have a historic conviction for “gross indecency” from 1974 (PDA with his then-boyfriend) struct from his criminal record. You can sign his petition here!

The epitome of “Distinguished Gay”

Update as of 7 November 2018, this guy is now 95 years old and is still looking for his apology.

I just looked it up and turns out that George won! His 1974 conviction was repealed in 2004 but he fought for 13 more years to receive an official apology from the government, which he got in 2017! George just turned 96 a few days ago and is still thriving, attending pride with his husband Somchai Phukkhlai (who he has been with for 23 years now) and is still fighting for change. He is a true hero.

i was sitting with a bunch of cis people at lunch who think i’m cis and they literally had an entire conversation on how “nowadays you can’t tell who’s transgender” while i there wearing a trans pride flag t-shirt

I’m sobbin

Best fucking take!

Making Anne Frank your “bi icon uwu” is disgusting lmao!

Only weighing in as a Jewish person, and sharing zero other identities with the rest of this…it’s also super gross how often goyim make lists of “famous bi people you haven’t heard of” and include both Anne Frank and Coco Chanel on the same list…

Anne Frank was pretty sure she liked girls, but she was not a bi woman. She never got a chance to be either of those things because she was murdered by Nazis.

I’m a gentile and I wanted to add a side-note for my followers who are also gentiles:

If you’re confused why it’s terrible to include both Anne Frank and Coco Chanel on a list of any kind, it’s because Coco Chanel was a nazi. Yes, seriously.

Specifically, she was a French collaborator and at one point became a straight up nazi spy. She used her connections in the nazi party to destroy her competitors that were Jewish and profit from it. And not only did she survive the war, she didn’t face any consequences for her inhumanity because she wasn’t charged as a collaborator due to either a lack of evidence (some of which wasn’t published until 2011) or political connections.

Meanwhile, Anne Frank didn’t live to see adulthood.

Hopefully that makes it clearer why it’s disgusting to include Coco Chanel on any list that includes Anne Frank. Or any list at all, really.

Bringing this back since the Anne Frank tag is riddled with “Bi icon” shit LGBT gentiles please go and collect your heartless and weirdo counterparts.

Salute to them

The wonderful and amazing Waorani tribe of Ecuador!

Here’s an article detailing their case!

Sir, you’ve got a very rare disease

Me: “How rare?”

Doctor: “You pick the name”

Bedtime cuddles

look at this fucking baby

I can’t even believe healthy people aren’t always in SOME type of pain like

Nothing hurts

Not even your left pinky toe

What do you even feel

How the fuck do you know you’re even there

i have a disorder that makes m

lets you run using less than half of your body weight. 🚴

… why would you put a door button at the top of step… which makes it impossible for someone who needs that door button to actually get in the door or even reach the door button. Just why?

Not all people who need accessibility features, even automatic door buttons, are wheelchair users. Those buttons, even at places with one step, are useful for people on crutches, for example. Or for people like me whose arms pull out of their sockets fairly easily when opening heavy doors.

That makes it less of a fail how? Someone who uses a cane vs a wheelchair can use a too small to fit a wheelchair but hey it has grab bars. It’s still a fail for the wheelchair user who can’t use it unless they want to pee with the door open. FYI I have ehlers danlos. I’m very aware some doors can be difficult and painful to open and a button helps… but the point remains the main reason for installing a door button is for wheelchair users to not have to try juggle wrestling a door open and wheeling through it without being hit by it or wedged when they can’t hold the door long enough to get through. This photo was also taken in a place where laws exist (but unfortunately no one knows who to report to) that ALL businesses must be accessible. Slapping a door button (that has a 50% chance of not working in my experience) on and calling it a day when it’s completely impossible for anyone using a wheelchair, scooter, power chair, etc to enter the building it is still a fail. While yes other types of disabilities may be helped by a door button that doesn’t excuse a design excluding wheelchair users. If only some disabled people can use a resource and others can’t? It’s not accessible. It’s a fail.

The lettering on the door/window says parking is behind the building. The chair-accessible door (if there is [only] one) is expected to be adjacent to the parking. The symbol on the button in the photo means “disabled,” not specifically “wheelchair user.”

I’m not sure how much clearer I can make it- it is STILL a fail. Wheelchair users are often forced to use staff entry. This requires getting the attention of an employee at the FRONT entry to go to the back, wait for them to unlock the door, be led through the staff area… and in some cases it requires one store letting you in then calling the store next to them to open THEIR staff entry just to look at what a store has. Yes, it means disabled. I think all disabled people know that so no need to explain that. It does not erase the fact accessible door buttons were developed FOR wheelchair users to be able to get around more independently. If I have to hit a button with my folding cane from my chair or stand briefly on a better day, yell until a staff member responds and unlocks the staff doors which is what it means when it says entry in back. 9/10 it’s a locked staff door. If I’m just in the chair? If I have a flare day that extra foot of height it has where I am very stiff and can’t stand I probably can’t even hit the button to get staff attention. It is closed to me. “Wheelchair entry in back” which is NOT accessible without a staff member, especially on a new building which is supposed to meet accessibility standards required by law for ALL places open to the public to meet that all disabled people have the same access as non-disabled people. That means this should have been built without a raised step or if there had to be one, there should be a ramp. It is as of last year where this was taken ILLEGAL to not have equal access for ALL disabled people as able bodied people have. Someone who is not in a wheelchair can just walk in. A door button may help with a heavy door if you have joint issues/EDS (which I do btw), but try pop a wheelie to get over even a raised threshold AND open and hold a door open and let me know how well that works. If something is not equal access it is NOT accessible. Why should wheelchair users not be allowed in the front door with everyone else? Why should we have to go in the back staff only entry, up freight elevators and are generally treated very different? Hint, we shouldn’t.

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Also anything that requires a staff member? IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. To meet accessibility requirements the person regardless of their disability must be able to operate and navigate without requiring a staff member to assist them. Since that “wheelchair entry” is a staff entry which requires a staff member to unlock it is a fail. Even if it wasn’t, the law here says all buildings unless they are historic ones that have to have committee meetings on how to bring them to code without damaging them or strip malls where they may have some restrictions on how they renovate must allow for ALL public members to use the same entry way, not some sketchy back ally which is a safety risk. This building was built after the law was passed requiring this so there is ZERO excuse for this. This is a brand new building that fails city building code regarding accessibility.

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Also parking in back does NOT always mean there is an entry here. Lots of streets here are too narrow for street parking and buildings designed to face the street so the parking for all is behind the building and the front entry the only way in. Stop trying to excuse this or say it’s ok because maybe there is an entry in the back that’s accessible. Most likely there isn’t. Also I sincerely hope you are saying what you are as a (deeply clueless) disabled person who doesn’t need a wheelchair. Your view wheelchairs should be made to go into often sketchy back lanes or whatever instead of use the front door in a brand new building with no excuse not to make their front door accessible and are in fact breaking the law by doing so is ableist regardless, since you are speaking over the experiences of wheelchair users. If you are not disabled you are ablesplaining which is about as welcome as mansplaining or any other group speaking over the people who experience it and are not welcome here.

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Once more for the people not getting it:

IF IT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO ALL IT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE PERIOD.

It is able bodied people’s cheap half assed attempts to meet the bare minimum of civil rights laws so they don’t face legal consequences.

I do beg your pardon. I was under the impression that this was a random photograph that you (or even someone else) had found that superficially indicated inaccessibility. I did not realize that you had actually been there and knew for sure that the entrance in the back was not fully accessible. (Upon rereading your two previous statements in this branch of the thread, I maintain that they do not make that plain.) I am familiar with many, many buildings, that are re-fitted older buildings, and that have two or more public entrances, where the entrance(s) that access(es) the parking area is/are fully accessible, but the one(s) that access, say, a no-parking street, are not. I had not previously considered these buildings to be unacceptable, illegal, or in violation of best practices.

… it’s in the description of the blog. Unless indicated as a submission or a reblog the fails are ones I have personally found and I have checked everywhere as to how to get in the building. 80-90% of the time “entry in back” is staff entry forcing me to park behind, roll to the front, open the door, wait for staff to pay attention, then go BACK to the back door and wait for them to unlock and hope they don’t forget. Things posted here are things that are inaccessible and in violation of laws to help people understand just how much crap disabled people deal with and that an accessible sign means nothing… because there is zero way to get in alone, which is a violation of provincial and federal laws. All buildings here must be by law accessible and not in the sense of use the staff doors. If a person can’t do it themselves it isn’t accessible. That’s the law. However lots of places are cheap and just say the staff door is the “accessible” one. Also yes? I am aware of what the button means. That makes it ok to exclude wheelchair users why? If it doesn’t accommodate wheelchairs as well as other disabilities, it still is and always will be a fail and an illegal one. Now I know how to report this, I will be reporting these. Also again yes, that’s an accessible symbol and yes non-wheelchair users can benefit too, but when you exclude wheelchairs or have them come in the back… that’s a very negative message. Also while others benefit like with the cut curb effect, door buttons were developed for wheelchairs. Having a door button with no way for a wheelchair to enter means sure, others benefit from it but it’s still closed to me without extra headache and running around and wasted energy. Don’t try erasing the context in which door buttons were invented- to help wheelchair users. If a disabled person says something is not accessible it’s not accessible. It’s hard to impossible to get in or required exrra seps non-wheelchair users don’t have to take so its discrimination. Also the law states ALL people should be able to use the same door. That’s the law. If I can’t use that door? It’s an illegal fail. Period. Please before interacting again READ the blog and understand it is for fails when something is promised to be accessible but it isn’t, handling ableism, etc. This is by a disabled person FOR disabled people to vent and those around them to understand our needs. Thayis the point of this blog.

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Can everyone PLEASE stop trying to defend fails? If it’s posted here, disabled people aren’t stupid. It means we have already assessed the situation and found the promised accessibility to be lacking. So for future, if something is listed as a fail it’s a fail. We either can’t get in st all or if we do? It’s often via staff doors, cargo elevator, etc

Lmao people trying to argue with you are literally making the same argument able-bodied people make about disabled accommodations in general: “but SOME people can use it, so it’s not inaccessible! Why do we need anything different?” That’s not the point! Some people CAN’T. It’s really not that hard of a concept, and if you can’t understand that, you have no place in any conversation about accessibility.

Actually, in an ideal world, there should be two. One at roughly arm height, for people who need help opening doors but can’t easily bend down, and one lower for wheelchair users who can’t easily reach up. Two buttons connected to the same mechanism, would be easy.

Honestly! Wondering how many of them ARE able bodied… because they definitely have the same mentality. Hit the nail on the head there.

Also that’s what pillar buttons are for. You can kick them or push them with a hand, elbow, whatever. They are pretty much the gold standard for accessible door buttons. It’s basically a giant long button that goes from the ground to standing height. But I can tell you most door buttons like accessible sinks and the like unless you are extremely tall are reachable without bending down. Basically to have something accessible to a wheelchair you only need to lower it a couple inches, which makes zero difference to someone who is standing since it’s easy enough to hit with your arms hung down. Unless you are over 6 foot or walk like a zombie (which in either case having a button higher wont help at all) all someone standing has to do is just reach down the same as if they were grabbing the door as they are usually at or just above door handle level. Making these things accessible just requires lowering them a couple inches which 90% of non-wheelchair users won’t even notice… but for wheelchair users? Those couple inches mean we can comfortably reach not have to hyper extend.

I’ve come to hate this phrase, but this is truly the real tea

Imagine if you will leaving the house without having an encounter with an Ableist asshole.

Fuck you? I’m just trying to check out here. I don’t have to answer personal medical questions from complete strangers.

Also, I’m used to this bullshit from Baby Boomers but this was a Millenial, so if y’all hear someone spouting this bullshit I’d really appreciate if you’d take the asshole out back and teach him some goddamned manners already.

Had no less than three people grab my cane today when I had leaned it against something because apparently it was proof I didn’t need it. No Sheryl its just proof I need two hands sometimes.

Also had a store employee accuse me of being drunk because I wobble a few feet away from my cart without my cane to grab something; she almost threw me out.

A day without abelists would be divine

Oh damn the amount of times I’ve been called weird for things I do to help with sensory issues.

Me: *covering my ears during a fire drill*

Person: dOnT thAts wEirD

Me: *eating my food one at a time* (finishing each food before I move onto the next)

Person: here have some of this

Me: ok let me finish this first

Person: what why

Me: *explains*

Person: yOu cAnT rEaLly haTe iT thAt mUcH iTs nOt thAt baD jUst eAt thiS

Me: *stimming happily*

Person: doNt dO thAt qUieT hAndS

Me: *existing*

Person: AUSTIM IS BAD FEAR IT

I haven’t had my cane for that long but I’m already fucking sick of how people react to it, I’ve had people literally stop their conversations to turn and openly stare at me for walking past them with it like I’m a fucking alien or something. The other day I had a group of teenagers point at my cane and hysterically laugh about it and just, why the fuck do people think this shit is okay

Old people death stare me on the bus when I sit in the disabled seats and as soon as I get off the bus and they see me walking with my cane they just hide their heads in shame.

Bus drivers also have a tendency to grab my wheelchair when in getting on/off. Please don’t touch someone’s wheelchair without asking, it’s the same as picking someone up and moving them. You’re not helping us, you’re making our lives worse. If we need help, we’ll ask.

If I’m wearing my vogmask in public people stare, or sneeze/cough at me and snicker. I’ve had people deliberately spray aerosol around me because they knew I’d have an asthma attack.

We’re not here for your entertainment, we’re people so treat us like we deserve.

Me: *happily existing with my cane*

Person: but… why do you need it?

Me: … to walk?

Person: no like……… why?

Me: I can’t walk easily without it?

Ableds are not entitled to our entire medical history or backstory!

Not to mention the amount of times people just start to push me if I’m in my wheelchair. I would ask if I wanted you to push me, would you randomly pick someone up and carry them? No? Then don’t push wheelchair users without their consent!

The amount of times I’ve had people snarkily ask me why I need a service dog is obscene! Also just randomly touching me to get my attention or whatever?!? Don’t ever touch someone without their consent?!? I can’t believe I have to say this?!?

Also with my mobility devices; cane, forearm crutches, wheelchair. I need them because I need them. I’m not sure where this concept started of if you can’t visibly see what’s wrong, it’s someone faking it came from but it needs to stop.

Don’t touch me. Don’t touch my service dog. Don’t touch my mobility devices. Don’t ask me what’s wrong. Don’t assume anything about me. ITS NOT YOUR BUSINESS TO KNOW.

It’s alarming too how uncomfortable disabled people get when someone asks to pet the service animal when there is a vest on them thay says don’t touch. Then the disabled person has to be the “bad guy” and say no, firmly.

A lot of service dog handlers have anxiety disorders or PTSD or are autistic or HoH/Deaf, just to name a few conditions where the person most likely does not want people staring at them or asking them questions or requiring them to respond to complete strangers.

How about everyone just leave disabled people, including those with service dogs, the hell alone?

This is less malicious but no less annoying: I’ve noticed that ableds think that me with my cane or walker can just squeeze past them like someone without mobility devices and? No?? I know this makes me wider than the average person but I literally cannot walk without it??? Thanks to her I had to put my cane in front of me instead of to the side and kind of hop past and it was super awkward and painful for me and she just did not give a shit. What is wrong with ableds seriously.

Seeing a lot of misinformation flying around regarding lesbian flags this year, particularly the pink one, so here’s my attempt to set the record straight!

FAQ/Common Misconceptions and Sources are listed below the cut - if anything in this post contradicts what you’ve heard, I’d encourage you to read through them before responding.

Please DO NOT promote flag redesigns on this post :)

Keep reading

No ones fucking talking about this.