Good afternoon

Let's chat for a hot sec about children & young adults living with chronic illness/disability who speak publicly, participate in ads, raise money, etc.

Stop calling them inspired. I used to be one of them. I heard another speak this morning.

Feeling, even as a child, like you have to put on a show in order to get the world to believe that your life matters is not inspiring. It should instigate shame.

We often use jokes and flair to convince you (and yes, you usually need convincing) that we still have a personality despite our disabilities.

Also, please recognize that whether these efforts are effective often depends on other aspects of privilege. Are your parents white, rich, and well connected? Is it a politically easy cause to support?

The walks, the ads, the videos, the speeches are not meant to make you feel good. They're not something we usually *want* to do.

It's a matter of life and death, and you (abled people) generally don't get that.

So please. Enough with the "how inspiring."

Fight for us, instead.

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