Chronically ill and disabled people do what Chadwick Boseman did every day. And yes, it sucks. Yes, resilient doesn't even begin to describe it but please, do not use it as inspo porn or project that on to other chronically ill and disabled people.

If you have met me, attended any of my talks or watched any of my interviews, you know I am always bubbly, happy, friendly, and glad to talk with anyone and you would never suspect that I am unwell or hurting. You also may have noticed that when my work is done, I disappear.

I go back home or back to my hotel room and sometimes I cry because of the pain or have a panic attack, sometimes I am just so exhausted I sleep, and sometimes I need a week or two for my body to recover.

It's a survival and coping mechanism for chronically ill and disabled people to hide our sickness and disablilities, to downplay them or not mention them because not doing so means we are often times seen as unhireable, incapable, lazy or troublesome.

Working through sickness, pain....it's often necessary and we don't do it to be inspirational, to try and prove that we are like everyone else or that if we can do it so can others. We do it cuz we need a paycheck and because we deserve the opportunity to work & do what we love

We deserve opportunity just like anyone else but unfortunately we live in a very ableist society and opportunities are denied to us because our chronic illnesses and disabilities. We are infantilized and denied autonomy.

We are tokenized and used simply for companies to tout "diversity" but then they don't include us or give us room or opportunity for growth within the company.

Be mindful of that because I think the last thing Chadwick Boseman would want is for his choices, his struggles and even his success to be weaponized against other chronically ill and disabled people.

The last thing I think he would want is for people to start telling chronically ill and disabled people that if he could work through chemo and surgeries, that everyone else should be able to as well. That shouldn't be or become the norm.