The word “necessary” compared to other terms
Im so tired of hearing the word “accommodation” when talking about disabilities
Same goes w the word “benefits” its just so insufferable since its obvious these words are used in place of “necessity” because sugarcoating how badly our needs are makes it easier to tell us no.
Its also because our necessities arent seen as necessary since theyre not considered necessities to the abled bodied.
For examples, SSI money is called disability benefits, despite that fact it isnt beneficial, and could mean life or death to a disabled person who doesnt get it, and is literally the only way to get the medications and care we need to live, its a necessity but the legal, “correct” term our government has given it is benefits.
When i asked-i dont even know how many times, to how many people- why its called that, they all said its because the government is giving disabled people free money, so its like a benefit.
And of course, like i said before, if the world sees our necessities-like say, needing money we cant otherwise get due to our disability and ableism- itll be so much easier and sound so much more humane to call it benefits when theyre taking it away from us/refusing to give it to us.
Colleges, schools, and general places call it accommodations, for the same reason, because the word implies that theyre doing something that would help us alot, but isnt exactly necessary, so them refusing to do so isnt exactly taking away a right from us.
It also allows abled people to feed into the “special treatment” idea, because they see the government giving us the ability to live in an abled world as a “benefit” so its only natural that they should get it too.
Same goes with accommodation, the reason why every abled person brings up that one time a disabled kid cut them in line, or how one kid was allowed out of gym class or an assignment, because society has taught them that these are not something we have to do, that they are not a necessity, that it is something we are given out of privilege.
I dont really know where im going with this, but its so frustrating to see such blatant ableism, and how these words have bad ableist actions easier to push off.
Stop ignoring this.
(via dragonsatmidnight)