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Okay... I want to say this. Right here and right now. When you're around disabled people, you should do the following:
1. Don't speak to someone else who is with the disabled person as if the person can't speak for themself. This is incredibly rude and harmful. There's nothing wrong with communicating with a disabled person. Ever. There isn't a problem. There. Is. Not. A. Problem. With any of it. Talk directly to us.
2. Don't ignore disabled people. Talk to us. Ask us questions. We are people just like anyone else living in this world. Asking questions and having conversations with disabled people is not wrong, rude, disrespectful or harmful. It's okay. Seriously. It's fine.
3. If a disabled person tells you to stop doing something, even if you think it's somehow helpful to them or you think they need you to do it for them, stop. Seriously. Just stop doing it. They're telling you to stop for a reason. Society has this common need to overdo it when it comes to helping disabled people. If they're asking you to stop, then stop.
4. Respect us. There is not a single person, and that includes disabled people, in this world who doesn't deserve basic human respect.
5. Don't look down on us. We have disabilities, but we can still live our lives. We just do things differently than people without disabilities do. It isn't something to be ashamed of. I also hate the societal stereotype that disabled people going about their lives are an inspiration. Stop thinking that too. We're people. We live. We exist. We have just adapted in our own ways, and as such, we may live a little differently. And that's okay.
Once again. Ableism needs to stop existing. Please, please do not participate in it. It's a real problem that hurts so many people