Lady Gogos’ Guide to Disability Awareness Month Part 1!

Lesson 1 Name Calling!

As mentioned in the post below from November 22nd to December 22nd the UK is holding its first Disability Awareness Month.

I first and foremost do not claim to be a disability expert or am I voicing views and stories of anyone but myself. You may not believe some of what I will write below but I have witnesses (and anyway you should believe me, as much as I want to be a writer, I could not make these up!).

The dictionary definition of Disabled is as follows...

disabled–adjective

crippled; injured; incapacitated.

noun

( used with a plural verb ) persons who are crippled, injured, or incapacitated (usually prec. by the ): Ramps have been installed at the entrances to accommodate the disabled.

When it comes to labelling disability, I generally (99%) couldn’t care less what you called me.

I call my CEA (Cinema Exhibitors Association) card my “Cripple discount” at the cinema but to the rest of the cinema ticket queues disgust, I don’t understand why they tut, I’m calling myself a cripple.

I’ve been called a Cripple, Spaz, Freak, Flid, Spastic, disabled bird/mate/girlfriend, Gimp, Retard, Handicapp but my least favourite is; Invalid. I hate it because it implies I’m In – valid, as in; not a valid person... I can assure you I am thank you!



Don't call me Invalid... I WILL run you over 

 What doesn’t offended me, may offend my fellow Crip so be careful. “Sticks and Stones may break my bones (especially if I had Brittle Bone disease) but names can never hurt me” sadly this childhood rhyme doesn’t ring true, as I said name calling these days don’t generally bother me, but there are days like any abled/disabled person when I am not feeling myself (See Whats Attractive?) and those names ring in my head. Not so much the name but the tone in which they were projected in.

L x

P.S A shout out to the lad at the Argos/Queensway bus stop who winked, raised a brow and said “You is some fit unable” andflattered by the comment I didn’t have the heart to correct his obvious grammar issues!

Don't call me an Invalid... I will run you over!