Thread on COVID, social support, and #accessibility:

My only sibling is getting married next week. No masks. 100+ guests. Folks traveling 1,600 miles to attend.

I’m on immune suppressants.
#NEISvoid #DisabilityTwitter

I’ve been called “selfish” for saying it’s unsafe for me to attend.

Of course, critiquing family online isn’t ideal. But this thread isn’t about calling out specific people, or even my family at-large. It’s about broader issues of community, accessibility, family, and care.

Now that folks are tired of COVID precautions, we’re confronted with how disposable sick/disabled lives really are. And it hurts extra when this comes from loved ones, even inadvertently.

Many of our families fail to enact care for us—even though they care deeply about us.

That’s tough. It’s also why Twitter, #NEISvoid, and similar online spaces are so important.

I’ve seen (and posted) countless tweets looking for help navigating COVID, family, boundaries, and self-care.

Bottom line: If it’s important for you to get married with loved ones in attendance, make sure the celebration is accessible to them! That means thinking about food, seating, ramps...and right now it also means postponing, offering livestreams, or finding other ways to celebrate.

Remember: You don’t have to wait until someone reaches out to make accessibility moves. Be proactive! Explicitly ASK your loved ones how they can be included! If you don’t know how, that’s fine. Expressing that you care is an excellent start.

But if you don’t try, don’t expect attendance. Accessibility isn’t optional, snowflakey, or whatever else. It’s survival.