This was originally left as a comment but I want to start my own discussion so I'm sharing and refining it here 😉

I hate all those "inspiring videos" about people who stood up out of their wheelchair to walk to the altar or walk for graduation. If that's what they really want, that's fine. But we should not hold walking as the standard. As a matter of fact, it breaks my heart to see these people put themselves through so much just because they think that they have to walk. Why? If I hadn't felt stable enough to walk up the aisle of my wedding I fucking wouldn't have. We had contingencies in place.

I'm still disabled on my wedding day and there's nothing wrong with that.

I enjoy walking while I can but I am very fucking happy to grab my cane or get in my wheelchair when I can't. Walking is just *one* of the ways that I can get around.

The problem isn't me, the problem is a world that refuses to accommodate us. I say let's work on the accommodating rather than expecting us to accommodate a world that refuses to include us despite various physical limitations existing as long as people have. We accommodate poor vision with no problem. Why not limited mobility?

I don't want to walk more. I want to be able to move my body where I want it to go, and in the way that is most convenient for ME.

HOWEVER that looks. If walking happens to be the most convenient for me in the moment, then that's what I'll do. If it's not, I guess we ALL have to deal with it.

But somebody else's ableism is never going to be more important than my dignity and personhood and I'm certainly never apologizing for being the reason they have to examine something they don't want to within themselves.

"Like everyone else" is not the standard

"Don't make me examine my internalized ableism" isn't the take

©️ Libby Rahl. May only be shared with proper credit