#and i could also like. get a cane. or other mobility device

[cookinguptales]

Can I ask you to do a post about Disney & disability please? You mentioned it and I’d love to know more!

Well, my notifications can't get any messier, so why not?

This post got very, very long because I ended up talking about a lot of the accessibility solutions in detail (and... ranting about how accessibility at Universal was so bad that I got physically injured there) so I'm putting it under a cut for you.

To preface this, I have mobility issues (as well as a lot of food intolerances/allergies) and general chronic illness, my sister is Deaf, and I have friends who regularly attend the park with autistic family members with high support needs. These are the disabilities I have experience with, so while I've heard a bit about others (such as portable descriptive devices for visitors with visual impairments) I can't speak as much about those accommodations.

I have also traveled quite a bit, mostly as a disabled adult. I can work from anywhere and my family enjoys traveling, so I've been very lucky in this regard. I also used to live in central Florida, not too far from Disney, and benefited from their FL resident rates.

So I'm coming at this from a person who has a lot of experience traveling while disabled and a fair amount of experience going to WDW, though I haven't been nearly as often since I moved out of Florida.

(Good fucking riddance.)

So know that I am speaking from experience when I say I have never, without exception, been to a single place half as accessible as Walt Disney World. It is literally the reason my family would go there; it was one of the only places we could all safely go together. One of the only places I've been on earth that even approached their level of thoughtful accommodations is Barcelona, which apparently did significant renovations throughout the city in order to prepare for the 1992 Paralympics.

(Hey, if anyone is reading this from Barcelona: I teared up the first time I used one of your curb cuts in my wheelchair, just so you know.)

Going through those parks in a wheelchair is a breeze, though you will probably have to fight a lot of clueless parents with strollers who are hellbent on using resources intended for wheelchair-users and then glaring at you when you try to use them yourself. Level ground, spacious sidewalks, accessible transportation, well-kept gradual ramps, roomy buildings, lots of accessible restrooms, alternate entrances at many rides for wheelchair users, special wheelchair rows in movie theaters that we're loaded into first, accessible queues in most rides designed or renovated in the last fifteen years, special viewing areas for shows/parades/fireworks so you don't end up staring at able-bodied butts for a half hour...

Like, structurally-speaking, the parks are very easy to get around in if you're a wheelchair user. That was built in and you can see a lot of very mindful design choices. As far as the rides go, most of their rides actually have special cars that you can load into while still in a wheelchair. They're pretty neat. I can transfer, but that means often leaving my wheelchair and/or cane with a cast member during the ride. They are always, without fail, waiting for me on the other side of the ride, no matter how far the exit is from the entrance. I have never once had a problem with this. A cast member will be there to put my assistive devices in my hand before I even have to think about getting up. Guaranteed.

Wheelchair users always used to be able to skip the line, but there was unfortunately a problem with able-bodied people pretending to be disabled to skip lines (because god forbid they not have access to a single thing we have to make our lives livable) so now there's a system where if you cannot wait in a line, they'll basically give you a special time to come back that's equivalent to the length of the line. Which feels fair to me as someone who often cannot be in even an accessible line for extended periods. (I have problems with sunlight, heat, and often need emergency food or restroom.)

More important than all this, though, is the fact that cast members are impeccably well-trained in all of this. Any disabled person can tell you that the most accessible design on earth isn't worth shit if the people working there aren't well-trained. (More on this later, when I take a giant shit on Universal Studios.) But Disney trains their employees, many of whom are disabled themselves, incredibly well.

Every employee will know where the accessible entrances are. Every employee will know the procedure for getting a return time. Every employee will know about first-aid centers, and every employee will know where the quiet areas are for people with sensory issues. Every time you make a reservation for a meal, hotel room, transportation, etc. they will ask for all accessibility needs and they'll be ready for you.

Every waiter you have will be incredibly careful and knowledgeable when it comes to special dietary needs, and chefs will often come out to discuss them with you. They often have specific menus for different dietary needs, and they are scrupulous when it comes to allergens. I have a few intolerances that suck and allergies that could kill me and I have always felt very safe in their hands. This ranges from fancy sit-down restaurants to quick service burger places.

And -- honestly, I have just always been treated with respect. I know that sounds like a low bar, but most people do fail to clear it. Disney has their employees very well-trained on how to interact with disabled guests. People speak directly to me, never to the able-bodied people over my head. They never treat me like I'm a child. They never ask invasive questions or make uncomfortable jokes. They never, ever get impatient with my accessibility needs.

The few times I have misjudged things and have injured myself or gotten extremely ill, they were professional and caring as they provided much-needed first-aid. It's kind of embarrassing to be doted on by a costumed character while you wait for a doctor to come help you sit up again, but also kind of endearing, I'll admit.

They also, in addition to captioning all videos in the park, have some of the best sign language interpreters in the world, bar none. They're very personal and professional, they're easy to reserve, they will always be in a visible place during shows, and they're incredible performers as well as being very technically proficient. In addition to the professional interpreters, many cast members, performers, and characters can sign as well.

In addition to that, and this brings me to my next point, you'll meet a lot of disabled employees throughout the park. In front-facing positions. Deaf employees, employees using mobility aids, etc. They're well-known to hire disabled people and treat them well. This is. Fuck, this is incredibly rare, I say as someone who was never able to find a job in Florida with my health conditions. It's the moral thing to do to hire disabled people, but also -- selfishly, there's something so heartening and normalizing about seeing people who look like you working at the park. I'm happy every single time.

I have a little less personal experience when it comes to accessibility for neurodivergence, despite being neurodivergent myself, but I've been told that Disney is very, very accommodating for people on the spectrum. A lot is done to lessen crowding, waiting, sensory overload, etc. for autistic guests. Cast members are usually super good at this; finding designated quiet areas, helping autistic guests avoid more crowded areas, keeping them out of long lines, making sure they have access to any particular experiences that are special to them, etc.

For folks who need help from their group, whether that's an autistic child who needs to be with a parent or a disabled adult who needs someone to push their wheelchair or anything else, Disney has a rider switch-off model. In other words, if you're there with both of your able-bodied parents, for example, and you need one of them to be with you at all times and you don't want to be on the ride yourself, Disney will allow one person to go on the ride while the other waits for them to finish, then will allow the second person to go on without any additional wait. This makes sure that everyone in the family gets equal access without leaving disabled people alone. (Which... can be a very shitty feeling, I assure you.)

I know that Disney has also pioneered a lot of assistive technology. The accessible rides, obviously, which can be ridiculously cool (like Toy Story Midway Mania has an accessible car with alternative "guns" for people with dexterity limitations so they can play the carnival games as well) but also handheld assistive devices for visually impaired guests, etc. Like they are literally inventing new forms of accessibility technology, which is so cool.

And honestly, I'm always learning about new ways they assist disabled guests. I've stayed in Disney's accessible hotel rooms before (they're very nice!) but I don't like to swim so I've never been in the pools. But even just this week, someone told me that Disney has pool lifts for disabled guests, which I had never even considered. That's so cool.

The best part about accessibility at Disney is that in some ways it's very casual. A lot of their design decisions are so intuitive that you never even notice how accessible the parks are until you go somewhere where that's... not the case.

Like -- just so you don't assume that any of these things are industry standard, let me tell you about the two times I went to Universal, a park very close to Disney. I went there once for an event and once with my family.

The first time I went was for an event at the opening of the Harry Potter park. (This was before JKR made her most appalling views public, to be clear.) It... was frustrating. Guests asked if there would be food and drink available for people with special dietary restrictions (such as sugar-free butterbeer) and were pretty much told that no, that was not something they were interested in pursuing. It became very obvious very quickly that the park itself was so narrow that it only barely fulfilled ADA standards -- when empty. We were told that JKR had actually specifically insisted that it feel "cramped". Which is a nice way to say that I couldn't actually get around in any of the stores while people were in them.

It was overall a frustrating experience, but it was like. One night. I figured it was probably a fluke and they were still ironing out all the details. So I ended up going back with my parents later.

Y'all, it was a shit show.

Broken elevators that prevented disabled guests from accessing rides. Performers being up on raised platforms/sidewalks so disabled guests couldn't get to them. Sidewalks being made inaccessible by putting movable signs directly in the middle of them. Stores (even outside of the HP part) that were so damn narrow that I actually ended up getting hurt trying to navigate one of them. And no -- it was not easy to get first aid.

And my god, was the training bad. We went to one of the new HP rides, asked if there was a specific entrance for disabled guests. We were told no. We waited for a very long time in a line that honestly I shouldn't have been waiting in, but I wanted to be a good sport. I was pretty sick by the time we got through it, and the line itself had some very dangerous inclines/turns for wheelchair users. We get to the front of the line -- and the employee asks why we didn't just use the accessible entrance. 🙃

(Side note: several of their rides are also just unrideable if you don't fit within a pretty narrow body type of thin and able-bodied, so... there's that.)

We'd asked repeatedly and gotten incorrect answers, and I'd been put in physical danger as a result. Wild. I started to notice that if you asked different employees, you'd get different answers about almost anything, really. Just exceptionally poor training. Even stuff that should've been a no-brainer, like loading wheelchair users into a stationary movie theater, ended up creating chaos when they did it incorrectly and we had a giant wheelchair pileup.

Like -- let me stress to you that many of the things that happened could have caused actual injury to people. Some of these situations were dangerous. And some of them were just alienating, like when I'd have to wait outside a store while my family could go in.

I never went back after that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ We just kept going to Disney.

One thing that'll probably show how good Disney is at accessibility is the whole Make-A-Wish thing. A lot of people know that it's a popular Make-A-Wish request, and you're likely to see at least a couple kids with Make-A-Wish buttons during your visit if you keep an eye out. One reason for this, is that, y'know, Disney World is fun. Kids want to go there. But more important, I think, is that Disney can accommodate people with at-times severe medical needs. Those kids can safely go anywhere and do anything in those parks that able-bodied kids can, and that's important.

All in all, the parks are just so accessible and you will never, ever be made to feel like you're lesser for needing those accommodations. You will be treated so well and you will not have to worry about accessibility because the cast members are always doing it for you. They'll usher you into the correct entrance as soon as they see a mobility device, and they'll do it with a very warm welcome. It's one of the very few places on earth where I have never felt like a burden.

Again, y'know, I know that Disney does not have a perfect track record on a lot of issues. I would never defend them from rightfully earned criticism. I strongly support labor action against them, and I do think they should be criticized whenever they fuck up. I have been uncomfortable with the sheer amount of power they have both in Florida and in the entertainment world just because no one should have that much power. But I am far more uncomfortable with that power being stripped away for blatantly discriminatory political reasons.

I do have some loyalty to Disney just because there is no other place on earth where I've been able to safely have fun with my friends with so little agony. That's... I mean, it's important, really. To be able to just exist in public without getting grief for it. And I have some loyalty to them because they were a safe space for me as a young, queer kid who was not safe being out in other areas of my life.

(Like, I am talking about actual literal safety. I kept seeing notes on my post saying that Disney didn't care about creating a "safe space for queer people" but as someone who lived in Florida for the entirety of my teenage years? It was the safest goddamn place there.)

I do not have enough loyalty to defend them when they do immoral bullshit, but I do have enough to make sure that people know the good that they do as well.

I want other businesses to follow Disney's model for disability. I will praise them forever for what they've done in that regard because if I don't, there's no reason for other companies to follow suit. I want to praise them for the good things they've done so they have incentive to keep doing it, and other companies have an incentive to do it as well.

Like bro, I just wanna be able to move around and be treated with some dignity, y'know? My bar is so low. lmao

But yeah. That's why you always see so many disabled guests at Disney. It's literally the only place some of us can go to have fun.

#disney #disability #ableism #replies #honestly I used to go to the parks a lot but I wouldn't presently consider myself a superfan of disney or anything #but goddamn it sometimes you just wanna be able to go out and do the same things as everybody else #and disney always let me do that

[actingwithportals]

I wish more people understood that not every blind person is the exact same and we do not all need the same things and also the circumstances under how you were raised and when your blindness occurred and how involved you were in a blind community all play parts into what accessibility needs you will have.

Like. I was born legally blind. My vision has been for the most part stable my whole life, and it is likely to not change (unless normal worsening with age). I was raised in a family full of sighted people and all of my friends and members of my community were sighted people. I did not start meeting other blind people and joining blind communities until my early teenage years. This shaped me in such a way that I never learned Braille until I started teaching myself when I got older, did not learn to use a cane until I started attending blind camps as a teen, did not know I had an option of asking for accessibility with videos or images or menus or shopping or cooking or ANYTHING until I met other blind people who made it clear to me that there was a way I could exist with independence as a blind person and didn't have to just. miss out on life that I couldn't see.

So a vast majority of the way I taught myself to get by is very different from someone who spent a lot more of their early years around other blind people. But I also picked up a great deal of "normal" blind accessibility tricks from my teen years of involving myself with more blind communities that other blind folks who never involve themselves in blind communities are aware of or find useful.

My vision teacher as a kid showed me JAWS and explained what it was, but never really bothered to teach me to use it because ZoomText she decided was better for me. So I grew up to use screen magnifiers and not screenreaders. She didn't teach me Braille because she could get ahold of large print books, and when she couldn't she would find me a vast array of magnifiers to use. Ones with lights, ones in different shapes, some that were actual screen devices while others were simply glass. She didn't teach me how to use a cane and instead got me monoculars and bioptics, even though those actually...were not very easily usable to me. I had to teach myself how to use a cane after my first year of camp where I was gifted one, and later expanded upon learning when I finally took Orientation and Mobility training my year before moving out to college. I wouldn't start learning Braille until around the same time when I was given a Brailler by the specific state agency that provided assistive devices to blind students during high school and college.

So now, as an adult, what I find useful is reading text on a screen so that I can adjust my own contrast and magnification, I use a cane when walking around on my own outside of my home or other familiar areas, I use Braille on my keyboard and around on my household appliances so that I don't have to bend over or squint to attempt to read any settings or buttons or keys. A different blind person who grew up with different circumstances will have a very different list of assistive technology that is useful to them. Some will hate magnifiers and prefer audiobooks. Some would rather read Braille. Some will use puff paint or color-coding for household appliances or items like on clothing tags or toothbrushes. Some will use bioptics or monoculars when going to the theater instead of sitting close to the screen, or they might do both, or neither and will just listen. Some will use canes, some will use service dogs, some will use neither, or might prefer a sighted guide.

There are...so many ways a blind person might choose to make their life accessible. And we do not always agree with each other on what is best, because we do not all have the same eyes. Nor do we have the same ears, or hands, or feet. We are varied and complex and we disagree sometimes and come together other times and we discuss amongst ourselves on how to make things better for our community and we confer with other communities on how we help ourselves and help each other. We are not all the same. We are not all the same. We are not all the same.

If you want an answer for what is the One Agreeable accessibility feature for blind people: there isn't one. So just talk to us, instead. Get to know how we vary, how we relate, how you can best help one of us and how you might best help another. I'm sure we'd be happy to tell you what works best for us individually if you ask. And if we wouldn't, then that's ok. Sometimes we gotta figure things out on our own first before we can explain it to others. Either way, never stop asking. Because accessibility is always evolving, and someone is always going to have a different answer to the same question.

You can't get accessibility wrong if you're just willing to try. So keep trying.

[hyperesthesias]

Can you actually write something smutty for Viktor? Or just a guide on how to? I really want to write some Viktor smut, but I'm worried I won't do his disability justice as I'm able bodied and a dumbass

Of my twelve years on this webbed site, this has got to be the best ask I have ever received lmao

I would be happy to help, friend. I'll answer this in two parts.

Yes, I am planning on writing Viktor smut for Viktor x Anya. I had a lot happen in the year since I made the post you're referencing, but I've finally been able to get back into fandom stuff. I wanted to lay some backstory with them first though, as I am apparently a PWP kind of person lmao. It's coming soon! (No pun intended).

You've taken the first great step in recognizing that your experience and knowledge may not be congruent with potential portrayal, and therefore asking for advice. I don't mean to sound patronizing at all. I am an author and I have seen many professional authors that don't do this, so you're already ahead of the game! I wouldn't consider that dumbassery in any way, shape, or form.

I'll put the rest under a cut due to the nature of this post.

*Disclaimer to this is, of course, I don't speak for every disabled person, this list isn't extensive, and these are my opinions.

I, personally, operate under the assumption that Viktor has Post Polio Syndrome. Looking at photographs (x, x, x) it's pretty clear the animators used PPS as a framework for Viktor's movements and posture, as well as his mobility and assistive devices. People with PPS often develop need for braces, canes or crutches, and treatment for scoliosis -- all of which Viktor has. You are more than welcome to headcanon something different, as I don't believe the writers or animators have ever confirmed or denied PPS, but based on my own experience and research, I would bet money on it.

That being said -- regardless of PPS, or otherwise -- the first thing to consider when writing smut for any disabled character is fatigue. It may not be the obvious thing, as mobility devices often are the first thing to catch an observer's eye. But there is so much that goes on beneath mobility devices. Fatigue is a big one.

Consider the worst flu you've ever had -- all the time, every day, even in your sleep. It can be maddening, like you can't get any relief -- even if you take pain reliever or use other analgesics. Most people with a severe flu aren't exactly in the mood to be frisky, especially spontaneously. Many physically disabled people rely on preplanning. Having a date night where they can plan for extra pain reliever, or where they can schedule the rest of their day or week to conserve energy for a special night. The psychological energy that people need to conserve alone can take a lot of effort. Being disabled is also mentally exhausting, especially when you have a partner and their needs to consider. Giving a disabled person time to prepare for sex (or other tasks) is essential.

Related to that, is the fact the energy levels aren't always consistent. A disabled person and their lover could be going at it like rabbits for a while and then suddenly the disabled partner may need to stop because their "battery" (their physical energy levels) has run out. They may need a break for a few minutes, or they may just need to end the sexual encounter altogether.

The worst thing you (or your character) could do is take this personally. It has nothing to do with their partner, it's their body that is (frustratingly [on many levels]) not cooperating.

Something to toy with (no pun intended) when writing characters with energy level deficits is vibrators. Twice the work with half the effort. Don't be afraid to write smut with toys and vibrators -- it doesn't even have to be kinky. Toys and vibrators are normal and vanilla, all things considered. The only reason they haven't been normalized is because of patriarchal standards as to what sex is and is supposed to be.

The second thing to consider is physical limitations of positions and potential discomfort. I've seen several fanfic writers describe situations and positions that Viktor simply would never be able to do (e.g. lifting his partner onto a table or desk).

Viktor doesn't have a lot of strength. That's not to say he can't be rough or that all smut has to be vanilla. But realistically, it's absurd to think that he can lift someone else or manhandle them with any force, or thrust at the speed of light (💀). He also doesn't have any balance whatsoever post Act I. During Act I, he's able to hobble somewhat without his cane, as long as he has something to hold onto, as seen in episode three. But in Acts II and III, his balance issues combined with scoliosis would make any positions where he has to stand much more difficult.

Therefore, if you're wanting to write a scene somewhere outside of a bedroom (e.g. the lab, his office, etc.), he'd need something to balance himself. Seated sex is a great concept to play with -- very disability friendly and offers many options for all sorts of scenes. Desk/table sex is also realistic, as long as your character lifts themself onto the desk or table, and he's able to lean on it.

Scenes that take place in the bedroom also have their own limitations. He has zero use of his right leg, which means he'd need more time to get in and out of different positions. Missionary would take a toll on his back, I'd imagine, from being hunched over -- not that he couldn't do it at all, but that was more of a sidenote. Having your character straddle him, while his back was supported, is probably the most comfortable position I can imagine. Or spooning. Or maybe doggy, though I think his back and hips might get tired. But I'm just spit balling at this point. Utilizing objects from the setting is important -- pillows, having your character bent over the back of a couch, etc. This is where creativity comes in -- it's just important to keep in mind where his limitations are located on his body: his back and his leg/hip.

There are also adaptive devices for sex and disabilities.

One final thing I want to say is: don't overcorrect. This is common. It's one thing to keep a character's disability in mind, but it's another to make a disability the entire character. Just because Viktor is disabled doesn't mean he can't have the filthiest, most disgusting, raw, life changing, I-should-visit-a-confessional type of sex. However you headcanon him to be in bed is exactly how he can be. If you see him as a cruel Dom, he absolutely can slap the shit out of whoever has the pleasure of being beneath him, while he makes them beg for his mercy -- with his back and leg supported. If you see him as a bratty sub, he can be that, too -- while he lies there with a back pillow to relieve pressure off his spine. If he's the plainest, blander-than-vanilla type of lover, that's exactly what he is -- while he takes a few extra minutes to move from one position to the next. If he's any combination of those things, more power to you.

The point of writing a scene, is the point you're trying to make. Meaning: a lot of writers worry about conveying ideas and settings perfectly and with detail, while losing sight of the main point of their story. Rarely will you ever have to add paragraphs to a piece of writing in order to convey something, especially if it's not the main point. Often, it only takes one or two sentences. Keep the main point of the scene in mind. If you're writing a fic where Viktor and your character are secretly getting it on in the lab, then the point and the idea of that scene is the forbidden sex they are having. Not necessarily his limitations. You can easily acknowledge Viktor's disability by saying something like: 'Viktor sat on a chair at the far end of the lab, away from the door's line of sight. He leaned his back against the seat, allowing his spine to settle, before he coaxed his lover onto his lap. His lover straddled his legs, reaching to kiss his neck, while his hand trailed up their thighs...' You've successfully conveyed the limitations he has in two sentences, while maintaining the focus of your scene, and without reducing Viktor to a caricature of his disability. Less is more throughout your fic.

As a side note, which is completely my headcanon -- and something I've vaguely alluded to in my Viktor x Anya fics -- is that Viktor also has erectile dysfunction as a result of the PPS. Polio is a neurological virus, meaning is attacks the nerve cells, the main cause of the atrophy in PPS. It isn't common, but it's not uncommon for males with PPS to struggle with ED. As such, in my own personal stories, I have mentioned that Viktor takes medication to help with it. Sildenafil (the generic for Viagra) is a medication that specifically targets nerves.

That's my own person interpretation, though, and has no bearing on what we seen in Arcane lol.

To close this off for now, I want to reassure you that your efforts count and they matter. No one will write any depiction of disability 'perfectly'. Disability is unique to every person, and one person's spinal disability will look different to another's. Even people with the exact same diagnosis and prognosis will differ in how they experience it. You're not a dumbass. You're very intelligent to recognize the need for external resources. Enjoy yourself, enjoy the work you write, and keep asking questions.

If and when you decide to write your Viktor smut piece, I would love to read it. And likewise, if you'd like to read what I write I'd be happy to send it to you! If you're comfortable coming off anon, you can message me privately and we can talk more!

#viktor #viktor arcane #arcane #netflix arcane #viktor smut #viktor x reader #arcane viktor x reader #arcane viktor x you #viktor x you #arcane smut #disability #disability advocacy #disability awareness #viktor the machine herald #viktor fanfic #viktor fic

[20dollarlolita]

while youre wheelchair posting i wanted to say that you talking about why you decided to continue using one really changed my own perspective on my disability! i get awful chronic join pains usually triggered by standing, and although im taking the physical therapy route (im hypermobile, so thats the first option,) ive recently considered that using something like a wheelchair or a cane wouldnt be so wrong of me if i feel i need it

I tell people that I just want to be able to do the things that other people do. I want to shop in a store for as long as I want, without hurting. I want to walk around the mall and look at things. I want to go somewhere without having to plan ahead where I will sit down and how long we'll be waiting in line. I want to work a full day in my store, walking from the back room to the front, guiding customers to the different areas, and I want to do that without being in pain.

My wheelchair lets me do that. My body does not let me do that.

My advice to literally everyone who thinks they might need it is, "just get the damn cane." Canes are among the cheapest mobility aids out there. They come in insanely cool colors and styles. There are ones that fold up when you don't need them. You can get one for $10 and you can just go into Walgreens and buy one. Worst case, which is also best case, you just spent the cost of a trip to McDonald's on something you don't use. Worst case, which is also best case, you find something that lets you be yourself doing the things you want to do for longer and with less pain. Worst case, which is also best case, you see that it helps you and it is the gateway into getting a more supportive mobility aid that lets you live a better life. Literally every worst case scenario you can think of is also your best case scenario. Get the cane.

I went to Goodwill on my lunch break just now and they had a rollator for $8, so we're going to experiment with Pink+Rollator in the upcoming days. Currently I'm okay with walking short distances but I really can't stand for more than a couple of minutes, so bringing a device that's also a chair with me seems like it'd be a good step in my mobility.

But yeah, to everyone who is going "hey, I think I could benefit from a mobility aid," this is me, a disabled person, telling you to go for it. You didn't need my permission, but you have it anyway. Get the mobility aid!

A wheelchair is just a chair with wheels, and you didn't need anyone's permission to sit down at a rolling desk chair. You were able to look at the options given to you by the world and choose that, in that context, sitting down on a chair with wheels was going to be the best for your body and your personal convenience. You can look at your body and your environment and make statements like, "I should not be standing for 55 minutes in this line. I can only stand for x minutes," and that's normal. Abled people make decisions like "I'm not going to stand for this long" or "I'm not going to walk this far," all the time. But when you add, "so I'm going to bring a special chair with me, so that I can wait 55 minutes in this line, like all the other people in the line," suddenly it feels different. But abled people are allowed to always be making judgements for when they're pushing their body too hard, and they make decisions all the time about when they're going to take advantage of an aid or take a break, so the only thing that changes when you're disabled is when you have to decide to use it, not at all that you have to use it. People get to pick what shoes they want based on where they're going, and that's just picking a device to aid your mobility as needed for a certain environment. Using a mobility aid is a totally normal thing, except that we've artificially labeled them as "normal person accommodations" and "ask for this and you're disabled."

Disclaimer: obviously bring it up with your care team if you are interested in using a mobility aid (and you have a care team). A LOT of doctors are hesitant to tell young people that they should be trying a mobility aid, but will say you'll benefit from it if you bring it up. If you have a PT then they're likely to have input about what are the best options and how to set them up. Also some doctors can get you mobility aids for free. Even if the cane you get from your doctor is black and boring and doesn't fold, you can still go to the store and get a cane that's fun and cool and then use the one the doctor gave you as a size reference to know how to set the one you just got. Hey, free cane.

#i'm in usa so a care team and a luxury car financed at a shitty interest rate cost the same amount of money #20dollarlolita on wheels #i'm in california so I can't get a cane with a SWORD in it and i'm very upset by that #if anyone here has ever wanted to get into illegal smuggling of fashion/weapon based medical supplies then

[wainwrightjakobshammerlock]

What I think disability aids made by Borderlands gun manufacturers would be like. CW for mentions of systemic ableism and weight loss.

Atlas: Sleek and fancy, but also expensive as hell and prone to accidents. Sort of like IRL fancy prostheses or wheelchairs - they seem cool but are actually kinda sucky and very pricey. Don't expect the average Promethean to afford one. Though in this case, it's because they're often loaded with purely experimental tech that was probably shipped too early.

Hyperion: They make a few prosthetic and implant models and that's it. Pretty much all their stuff is aimed at their own employees trying to get "ahead" and not actual disabled people, so give up trying to find one fitting your particular needs. At least they're pretty fucking sturdy (but not against hacking). And no, they haven't thought of adopting those exoskeletons their engineers use for other needs.

Maliwan: Similar to above, but aimed at their general customer base instead. These guys are hipsters who try marrying form and function, and in many cases that means augs of some sort. I wouldn't really call them transhumanist though, that implies respecting bodily autonomy, human rights and not being ableist; these guys would sell arms with tracking chips and neural interfaces that fry your brainstem if you don't pay the subscription fee. And then tell you to lose weight with the new fad diet their marketing department cooked up. The hoverchairs and flavored chewelry are pretty great, tho.

Dahl: They wouldn't. They claim to be reliable but they're actually the biggest cowards in the Six Galaxies. If one of their soldiers loses a leg or something that's grounds for being (dis)honorably discharged. What exoskeletons or other devices they make are purely for war. Plus, the one Dahl employee we see having a prosthesis (Helena Pierce) doesn't seem to have a Dahl brand one. Aside from weird metal rank implants and funky gun-inspired fidget cubes they don't do much in this department.

Torgue: Expect everything to be painted like a Hot Wheels toy and probably explode somehow - either on you or on your enemies. All the mobility aids have jets attached for either smacking ableists with great force or speeding through town. I think Torgue himself wears a hearing aid (from all the explosions) and it looks like a fucking microphone with car parts on it, complete with exhaust.

Jakobs: Steampunk baybeee!!! Of course, the subgenre of said steampunk depends on the quality of the aid. The most basic ones are IRL Victorian era metal arms: flat, spiky, inhuman, but still quite ornate. The ones custom-tooled for execs and their families (looking at you, Alistair Hammerlock) are more "sleek" steampunk, with fine chassis of signature Jakobs brass and filigree engravings. They also make genuine wood canes with organic rubber grips that will outlive you if you take proper care of them... which is definitely shown in their price tags. The Jakobs stim toy line is half weird gear contraptions, half competition with Dahl's fidget cubes.

Vladof: Heavy, clunky, dieselpunk style. But damn if they aren't effective. A standard Vladof boostchair could break through a wall and be completely unharmed. A Vladof AAC device looks like an electron tube supercomputer that you have to haul around in a cart. That's all I really have to say here.

Tediore: I have no idea.

#my post #borderlands #text post #headcanons #disability tag #50

[pluto-supremacy]

Viktor Headcanons: dating a ftm!disabled!reader

➼ This is a very self-indulgent set of headcanons as a disabled trans man, but hey I hope you enjoy!

➼ Reader doesn't have a specific disability, I'm trying to be as general and inclusive as possible so a wide range of disabled persons can relate

➼ No beta we die like Silco

➼ Warnings: mentions of gender dysphoria

GIF does not belong to me! All credits to the owner

Mobility aids out the wazoo laying around you guy's room. Canes? Check. Walkers? Yep. Wheelchairs? You bet. Crutches? I could go on here people

He learns everything he can about your disabilities. I mean everything. Mans is staying up til the wee hours of the morning reading up on how to help you, general limitations from the disability, etc.

Will remind (and force) you to take breaks

"My love, you've been on your feet far too long. Sit down, I'll go get you a glass of water"

You're gonna have to do the same for him too, Viktor doesn't know how to take his own advice

The shower of course has a shower chair (if you need one) with everything within reach

Viktor keeps a section of clothes set aside for your bad dysphoria days. Whether that means baggier clothes, long sleeves, backup binders, his clothes that he always catches you stealing. Anything to try and make you feel more comfortable in your own skin

If you bind, he reminds you to take binding breaks. He'll make sure you can run off to your shared room to take that breather and not have to worry about people staring at you

Keeps easy food to make when you both don't have the energy to make anything

Your guy's bed? The comfiest ever. Lots of pillows, blankets, anything to help your joints and help you feel comfortable

Heat intolerant? Ac is cranked with fans. Cold intolerant? Well now it's the opposite

Uses his experience with hextech to invent new devices for you to help

"I know you said that you were struggling with your heart rate, so I made you a monitor. Small enough to wear under your shirt and it logs everything for a week so we can write it down. It also tells you what you were doing when it spikes or drops. Need some help putting it on?"

He's the first one to advocate for you, and the loudest. A building isn't ADA accessible? Oh, he's on it. Someone is being ableist? He has a sharp tongue and if all else fails, he has a cane too

You're both always there for the other's doctor's appointments. Viktor will drop his work to come with you (which is saying something since he'll deny food, water, and rest to continue his work)

He has a little trans pin on all of his clothes, it's one of his little ways to show you he loves you

If you ever get gender-affirming surgery, he's now doing his absolute best to take care of you while you're recovering. No heavy lifting, helping you get dressed, setting alarms to give you your prescriptions, fluffing up pillows (since you will be on bed rest for a while, doctor's orders), anything and everything he can do to make the healing process quicker and easier for you

"Y/N, if you try to get up one more time I will have to tie you to the damn bed. The doctor said no strenuous activity and to rest for a few days minimum. Rest, please"

Will loudly and aggressively correct people when they misgender you on purpose (he's nicer about it when it's a pure accident)

Can, will, and has yelled at your doctors before. Whether it was an appointment for your disabilities and they refused to take you seriously or if a doctor is 'not convinced' you're trans. Needless to say you never had to see those asshole doctors again

Helps you decorate your mobility aids, whether that be stickers, covers, or making add-ons for them (like a secure bag holder on your wheelchair, for example)

While Viktor isn't really one for shopping, he will happily take you to different shops to try and find you clothes that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. And of course afterwards you guys go out for a little treat, like ice cream or coffee

#arcane #viktor x reader #viktor arcane #viktor x you #viktor x male reader #headcanons #viktor headcanons

[otdderamin]

Fiction C2 Post-Campaign Essek’s Mobility Aid

I appreciate that Matt didn’t want to make Essek disabled and fall into the disabled villain trope, but as a disabled person I love the idea that Essek’s floating is a disability aid and that ableism played a role in isolating him and pushing him into over-achieving at all costs. Essek’s such a complex character, I don’t think he falls into simple tropes like that.

Story

After Essek goes on the lam, he often has to walk without magic. He was partly lying about floating being a trick he got stuck with as an expectation. It was also that, but the real reason he learned to do it was the debilitating joint pain he developed in early adolescence. Having to walk again rapidly exacerbates it again, with an extra century of age on top.

He tries to keep it to himself since he was accused of faking it as a kid, punished for it, pushed harder, or excluded for not keeping up. Especially compared to his athletic brother. The doubt in his overall ability was one of the things that had pushed him so hard to prove himself at every turn, and ultimately led him to some really awful behavior he didn’t want to return to. But eventually, it becomes so debilitating he can't hide it. At least not from Caleb.

He'd get to Caleb’s house and more than anything just need to sit down and rest. The pain was cascading into general nerve pain that made all touch into an over-stimulated agony. A silent internal war from nerves that want no sensation, and a heart that wanted the soothing grounding of being held by this man who somehow loves him so deeply. But the pain in his face and the flinching he can’t stop eventually give him away.

Caleb is gentle with him and understanding. He opens up about the torture Trent put him through with the embedded residuum. Going to class with long sleeves pretending to be fine when he could barely hold a pen. Sometimes the scars still have a stabbing ache. How lonely it was when touch of the only people who knew and cared was too much. They talk about inadequate pain scales. There is comfort in that shared understanding.

They brainstorm what Essek could do. On the road alone he can still float. It's cities that are the problem. For his safety he already tries to stick to solitary remote research but supplies and contacts are always needed. They consider different mobility devices. Essek's only hesitation is that the ones that meet his needs would be expensive, custom, and distinctive, making them more identifiable even as he changes disguises and personas and could give him away. The same reasons why he's had to give up the sleek and fashionable clothes he loves for plainer ones people don't notice.

That leads them to the idea of modifying Essek's floating magic to essentially function like a series of braces. He could still look like he's walking without aid, but the magic would take the actual weight off his joints. It proves trickier than just floating, with more concentration and more exhaustion, but it’s harder to detect and easier to disguise to keep his cover. It’s harder to keep his balance this way and does find a plain cane makes it much easier, even if it rarely supports his weight to protect his arms.

Caleb asks for Essek's help with a second kind of slower cover. Now that he knows the floating was a mobility aid, can Essek teach it to him so that Caleb can teach it to his disabled students and others in the community? It could help many of them with quality of life (especially the Academy's inaccessible buildings). And over time if they teach the technique and encourage it to be retaught, it will be less unique and identifiable. One day it will be safe for Essek to float in public again, and he'll get his best mobility tool back.

Slowly things get easier. Essek is able to travel more easily again with fewer bad pain days and come back to the house of green beans without wanting to collapse. The brace magic gets easier for him to manage over time. It’s still a little easier to use a cane, but he can forego it for short periods if he needs the extra stealth. Caleb and Essek teach both the floating and the bracing and find each works for different disabilities and injuries better. It takes some decades for it to be widespread, but his floating technique is eventually widespread enough as a mobility tool that it’s safe to use. While he still prefers floating, he uses both with different personas to throw off the trail.

Every time he comes across another disabled person using this magic he developed in his room, alone in pain and trying to hide through an impressive trick, and now commonplace, it’s a reminder that for all the lives he hurt causing the war, there are now many others his magic has helped to live fuller more accessible lives. And that is a great comfort through the rest of his life.

#critical role #critical role fanfiction #Essek Thelyss #Caleb Widogast #Shadowgast #Disability #Disability Fanfiction #fanfiction #critical role C2 post-campaign

[cy-cyborg]

Hey im trying to write a centaur type character… the character has fibromyalgia and i want to represent them well by giving them some kind of mobility aid. But because of their being a centaur and the way their bodies are so different from humans’, i don’t know what kind would work best yet, and i’m afraid of designing something that won’t support their weight or will just look silly

Hm, that’s tricky. I’m not super knowledgeable about fibromyalgia, I know a few people with it and I know it causes things like pain, difficulty breathing and fatigue but that’s about it so definitely run these suggestions by someone else before you use them. I do know a decent amount about horses though.

So for mobility aids that would be primarily used by the human half, so long as you make them tall enough they should be fine. Things like crutches, canes etc, though admittedly, I’m not sure if they’d actually be helpful unless they’re only needing support for their front legs, since it probably wouldn’t relieve any pressure from the back ones. A rotator might be slightly better depending on how it’s structured, but it too wouldn’t help much with the back limbs

The centaur equivalent of a wheelchair or similar device would be much more complicated though.

Horses… don’t take well to mobility aids as a general rule of thumb, so anything for the horse half specifically is going to have issues. most quadruped animals who need a wheelchair can use a little cart or buggy like this:

[ID: A picture of a golden retriever in a mobility cart that's supporting their back legs. /End ID]

But horses really, really struggle with them. A lot of it’s behavioural, they’re prey animals and having something strapped to them like these “wheelchair carts” freaks them out and causes a lot of stress - especially if it gets stuck on something (like a rock, or crack in the ground). with training, they can learn to be relatively ok-ish with it, like how other horses are trained to be ok pulling carriages, but those carriages aren’t attached to them 24/7, these carts are.

This isn’t necessarily something that would apply to your centaur unless they’re very horse-like in behaviour, but I thought it worth a mention just in case. The bigger issue though is physical, and would 100% be a problem for centaurs. Horses are big creatures and are very heavy. It’s not good for them to lie down for too long, as all their weight can put pressure on their organs and do damage. It also makes it harder for them to breathe (that’s why, when horses are sedated for surgery, they try to keep them standing upright where possible). Likewise, a cart has to take at least part of the creature’s weight, and so long-term use puts a lot of pressure on the soft underside of their belly and chest, and causes many of the same issues.

One thing you could potentially do is give them something that mimics the ways horses “naturally” try to alleviate pain and fatigue. My mum has a very, very elderly pony (he turns 29 this year) and his knees have been giving him trouble lately, which means standing is hard, but if he lays down he might get stuck. Instead, he goes and finds trees or fence posts or the side of his stable and just leans against them (mum has padded the side of the stable he usually leans on). As a mobility aid for your centaur, this might look like the front end being supported by crutches or a cane, and the back half being supported by something tied to their back leg. I image the hind-leg crutch would stick out at a slight angle so it’s not constantly dragging along the ground, and when they need a breather or break, they could lean their body and shift their weight onto it. Something like this

[ID: A poorly drawn image of a centaur. Its human half is holding a stick-figure drawing of a crutch. Another similar crutch is tied to one of their back legs. The image shows them from the front and side, with the front showing that the rear crutch sticks out slightly. /End ID]

(I’m a professional artist lmao)

It’s not a perfect solution (and probably wouldn’t be great for their back tbh) but I’m not sure what else you could do, this at least gives them a way rest if they need it without depending on straps that could cause pressure sores/injuries to their abdomen and (horse) chest

Of course, centaurs in and of themselves are very unrealistic and their anatomy doesn’t really work either, so you can always take liberties with the realism of the horse-end mobility aid stuff. If you don’t want something on the more realistic end, I would say a cart wheelchair for the back end + crutches/canes/rotators for the front would be fine. It depends on the tone for the setting!

#disability #fantasy #fantasy worldbuilding #fantasy mobility aids #Centaur #q&a #q&a time

[cpunkwitch]

Hey, chronic pain anon back again to ask some questions

My first question is to ask if you have any advice for how to handle or deal with the pain, I mean usually I just ignore it, but i dont know if that's really a good thing

I also wanted to ask if you knew of any mobility devices that might help with taking weight off my hips and spine? If that makes sense in a way?? I was thinking of getting some when possible as I noticed whenever I stand still I get a lot of pain / pressure in my hips and spine, like they're crumbling under my weight or something — idk if that makes sense, im like half asleep right now

Okay, uh, thanks :3 you're really cool and even if you can't answer these questions I don't mind ^_^

- chronic pain anon

Hey hun

DO NOT IGNORE PAIN /lh

Pain is your body sending your brain a signal something is wrong, listen to your body or it will get worse

Depending on the type and level of pain there are multiple ways to handle it

My methods are hot compress, soaks in baths or showers if I can manage one or the other, anti-inflammatory meds like ibuprofen or even Tylenol or advil (I can only take liquid or chewable meds but if you can swallow pills and know what meds you can take please do)

Compression socks, gloves, support shoes, braces, especially a back brace can help relieve and lessen pain by the end of the day

Sleeping with an extra pillow under your tailbone and/or between your legs depending on your sleeping position can help as well, preferably small pillows if you have one but whatever works

As for mobility aids

I'm looking into the same thing and the reason I was looking into using my moms walker before was because walkers and rollators have better weight support than a walking stick or cane, definitely better if you want to avoid the wrist and upper body pain leaning on a walking stick can give you at least from my experience

Best ones I know of should be within your height range, and can include a seat though the foldable ones are likely to have less weight support and there can be weight limits for aids so best to look at the weight limit on one before getting it

A walker or rollator feels like a middle between a cane and a wheelchair to me so I'd say it's good for spine and hip issues as I deal with the same

Actually last night because my mom wouldn't let me user her walker on my coffee run I ended up being hunched over with a lot of lacking mobility due to the extra pain I was in by the end of the day, the walker would have helped a lot and even helped me pase myself better walking uphill so I wouldn't have fallen into my habit of speed walking (or marching, Sea cadets will drill marching into your muscle memory)

So yeah tldr?

Anything that takes down swelling and inflammation in your muscles, joints and tissue in general wherever the pain tends to be can help a lot, even pain creams can help some

Small stretches can help too so your joints don't become stiff overtime just be careful not to strain or stretch too far or anything, light stretches can help get your body out of bed

And a walker or a rollator could be good for a mobility aid to look into

Hope this helps!!

#disability blogging #cass rambles #actually disabled #physically disabled #cpunk #physical disability #cripplepunk #disabled #cpunk blog #cripple punk #chronic pain anon

[oliveroctavius]

If it's okay to ask, I'm curious what your initial thoughts are on the potential plot for the Insomniac Spidey sequel game! I'm still sorting my thoughts, but one of the things that definitely crossed my mind was how the story trailer reminded me of both TASM films (eg. terminally ill Harry as a major villain, the main villain plot being forcibly 'healing' the world, and we know from the MM post-credits scene that Connors is behind Harry's treatment with the symbiote, etc.), and while the main issue with the eugenics stuff in the TASM films is how it was framed as being both real and good and neither Peter nor the narrative ever challenges it, rather than just the villains being villainous and it could go differently here, I'm really not sure how optimistic to be at this point in speculation - but it's also not an aspect of the trailer I've seen much discussion on either.

having gone over the original game again, (geez I forgot how hard they went on the Spider-Cop bit) I still don't feel as pessimistic on this plot point as others seem to be... yet.

MSM1 had parallels to TASM1 too, without fumbling the ball as hard. Main villain starts as an ally researching limb replacement, partially for themselves; plot turning point is a Oscorp gene-cure-mist being released into the city with terrible results. It helps that Insomniac's medical science is just 50% less bullshit. Devil's Breath names a real genome editing tech (CRISPR by viral vector) and genetic diseases that aren't just disabling, but fatal (cystic fibrosis, Huntington's) as the intended target. There's no TASM-esque twist where victims with improperly edited genes become a ''devolved'' ''lower lifeform'' or turn murderous. They just get sick.

Otto doesn't consider using Devil's Breath on himself. His condition isn't even genetic. Dumb to have to point that out, but TASM Curt compares limb loss to agonizing death by disease (??) and proposes his amputation be "fixed" with genetic modification (???) while Otto's focus is on (embellished) mobility aids. The idea that brain damage from the arms made Otto evil is brought up and then refuted. Martin and Otto have social + financial motivations which overlap with but aren't fully defined by disability. They're well-intentioned extremists: they want to take down a crooked capitalist who's politically untouchable... time to poison random civilians!

Going by these trends: I expect Harry to have a fairly realistic diagnosis and to use real assistive aids alongside any sci-fi treatments (he has a cane for a second in the trailer). I expect that if he did inherit his condition it was from his mother, and the only person who might be weird about that is Norman. Insomniac Harry's previous vision for "healing the world" has been air and water quality, green energy, and wildlife health. If this changes, I expect a more nuanced explanation than "idk he's sick and crazy now".

Will I actually like it? Who knows! (Like MJ was fine. but she's not My MJ.) I'm still crossing my fingers for sentient alien Venom because I think it would make everything more interesting to have Venom the character rather than just the plot device.

I'm truly more worried for Curt--most of the Insomniac plotlines are pulled from modern comics. (For the love of god please let's not do Shed.) But comics Devil's Breath was a poison that killed only certain genetic lineages, and someone made the call to avoid that minefield of weird ideas. So. Hope remains that this will not be the TASM movies' kind of freakshow.

#had even more thoughts during this ask abt Martin Li and TASM Electro as well as the treatment of Oscorp but this is already so long #ps4 #/ ableism #curt connors #harry osborn

[delucadarlingwriting]

I'm really struggling to write the last few weeks, so I've instead been going through some old wips and such. I found the first fic I wrote with Kira and Barbie together in it, but the thing that really interested me was this Lucas/Adam scene I forgot I'd slipped in toward the end.

In this AU, Barbie and Lucas both work for the Agency (Lucas as Unit Alpha's handler, Barbie as a researcher) while Kira is Wayhaven's detective. Adam and Lucas have a past, and they haven't quite gotten through it all.

(I really hope I haven't posted this before)

***

“She’s okay,” Lucas says, his smile bright despite the bags under his eyes and the way he hunches over. The chair he’s sitting in is clearly one of the ones kept in meeting rooms around the facility. Adam wonders if he dragged it over himself, or if someone brought it to him. 

“That’s good to hear,” Adam says. It doesn’t remove the guilt weighing on him, but it does lessen it somewhat. 

Lucas bobs his head. “They say she’ll wake up soon. It’ll be a long recovery. Well…” Lucas gestures vaguely to his leg. “Not that long. A few weeks at most and then she should be up and at ‘em.”

“How is your leg?” Adam asks without really meaning to. Lucas chuckles.

“It’s far from my biggest concern right now,” he says. He straightens up, then leans back against the seat back, folding his hands behind his head. His heartbeat is a steady drum, not the frantic thrashing it had been earlier. “But mostly it’s fine. PT did wonders. I don’t have to use the cane anymore, but I can certainly walk a lot longer with it than without.”

There had been a moment where it was uncertain if Lucas would be able to walk. Amputation had been on the table, but the medics had managed to save the leg through some sort of minor miracle.

Lucas peers at him, a smile tugging at his lips. To Adam it seems exhausting to always be smiling, grinning, laughing, but Lucas does it all like he can’t help himself.

“I’ve missed you, bud,” Lucas says. Adam shakes his head.

“We’ve seen each other recently,” he replies. Lucas snorts.

“Literally in passing while you were getting into a car and I was getting out does not count,” Lucas says. Adam remembers that moment well, and how hard it had been to make himself turn the key in the ignition when his eyes had been stuck on Lucas in the rear view mirror. Shifting, Lucas lifts an eyebrow. “You could also text me back here and there.”

“What am I supposed to say?” Adam asks in a huff. “You send pictures of inane things with no commentary.”

“Hey, that box turtle was neat as fuck,” Lucas argues, but he lets out a laugh. “But I guess you have a point.”

“So you’ll stop?” Adam asks, unsure what answer he’s hoping for. Eyes sparkling, Lucas grins.

“Not a chance, big guy. You’ll just have to suffer gracefully about it.”

Rolling his eyes, Adam puts his hands on his hips and starts to say something, when the door to Barbara’s hospital room slams opens, revealing Mason. He looks at them blankly, while Adam and Lucas stare back in shock.

“You two are loud as fuck,” Mason says. Lucas sputters.

“When did you get in there?” he demands, then more loudly, “Why are you in there?”

Mason smirks. “You don’t wanna know.”

Adam glares at him. “Leave.”

“Sure. She’s passed out anyway,” Mason says with a shrug. He spares a glance back at Barbara, hospital blanket tucked around her sleeping form, then closes the door and strolls away. Lucas manages to pull himself together by then and starts struggling to his feet.

“I’m gonna beat his—” Lucas grits his teeth, snatching his cane up from where he leaned it against the wall. Adam steps closer, hands out to placate him.

“I doubt he did anything to her,” Adam says, no small amount of annoyance in his tone. “He wants to get a rise out of you.”

“He managed it!” Lucas replies brightly. He’s holding his cane more like one would hold a war club than a mobility device. “She’s hurt, in what world does he think any of what he’s implying is appropriate.”

Adam can’t help the laugh that escapes his lips. Lucas whips his head toward him with a scowl.

“I’m sorry,” Adam says. “Do you hear yourself?”

Lucas blinks, and his hackles go down. A small smile tugs at his lips. “Alright, yeah. But it’s different when it’s your baby sister.”

Adam nods. “Then trust that I believe Mason wouldn’t let any harm come to her.”

That seems to shock Lucas enough that he has to sit back down. “You think he gives enough of a shit?”

“I do.” Adam rubs at his chin. Mason’s fixation on Barbara has been long lasting, but it’s clearly more than his usual ‘flings’. The way he’d reacted to Murphy abducting her had been…very different. It’s a side of Mason Adam has not yet seen. Of course, Nat has rose colored glasses on regarding the whole affair, which doesn't surprise Adam a bit, but it also sets him on edge, almost as much as Nat’s own fixation on Kira. 

They’re vampires. Kira and Barbara are human. It’s too risky to involve themselves too deeply, and the last thing he wants is anyone getting hurt over it. 

“Well,” Lucas says, relaxing fully now. “Alright.”

The quiet lingers for a long moment before Adam can muster the strength to say, “I should go.”

“Why, am I not riveting enough company for you?” Lucas asks, humor dancing in his warm brown eyes. Adam takes breath to steady himself, but all it does it bring Lucas’ scent further in, distracting him all the more. 

“You should go as well,” Adam replies, dizzy. “Maybe find a shower.”

“Rude!” Lucas exclaims, then cartoonishly lifts his arm to sniff himself. He puts on an exaggerated expression of disgust. Adam rolls his eyes. “Though you might be right. I’ve been traveling since yesterday, and the employees at the airport tend to look down on sink showers.”

“I can imagine,” Adam says dryly. He sighs, unable to shake the worry that lingers over him. “Barbara will be fine. You should look after yourself better.”

“I look after myself just fine,” Lucas says, waving him off. Considering the number of times Adam has heard through the Agency grapevine that Unit Alpha’s handler has landed himself in the infirmary yet again, somehow, Lucas’ words do nothing to convince Adam. He has the alarming urge to grab Lucas and drag him somewhere else, to take care of Lucas himself so he can be certain of Lucas’ health and comfort. 

Heat rushes to his face, something he’s aware shows far too easily on his pale skin, so he turns on his heel and marches away. 

“Try deodorant,” Adam calls.

“Go fuck yourself!” Lucas calls out with a cheerful laugh.

#darling writing #twc #wayhaven #wip #barbara 'barbie' robertson #lucas daniels #idk I just love them #Lucas wants nothing more than to drive Adam crazy for the rest of time 💞💞💞

[sing-you-fools]

you mentioned your character sheet having the fields "what kind of story do they think they're in" and "what role do they think they're playing in it"

i think this is awesome!

what else is on your character sheet?

oh my gosh. i was in the middle of answering this when i went to check something and clicked a link without realizing it was a tumblr link. it's gone. and. well. i'm sure you were not expecting as MUCH answer as i was putting there, anyway, so maybe it's for the best.

my character and worldbuilding sheets have an unhinged level of detail, because i use them not as a "fill this whole thing out before you get started" tool but as an "organize the information you include and thoughts you have so you can reference them later" tool, because (1) audhd and (2) i'm hoping the book i'm working on is the first in a huge expansive world that i'll still be playing in when i'm 70.

the character sheet is broken down into Basics, Role in the Story, Appearance, Communication, Backstory, Family,* Relationships, Personality and Psychology, Just for Fun, and Other (which is just a spot for if i need it, it doesn’t have any questions or prompts). and each of those has a ton of questions (except Other, as established in the previous parenthetical aside).

it's hard to say what i have in there that's the most important, or my favorite, or whatever, because it all depends very much on the character's answer. for example, most of my characters don't think they're in a story at all, they would say "this is my real life what are you talking about i'm not playing a role i'm trying to get to tomorrow," which means the questions you mentioned aren't all that fun for them, but they become very fun for a couple i'm writing, because Nat thinks he's living his best gay musical romcom life and Zari is convinced down to his bones that he's a lead in a deeply tragic romance - in reality, they're more like Merry and Pippin, and if they'd stop for a brief reality check maybe they'd reconsider picking up the Palantir.

these questions fall under "Role in the Story," which also contains fun gems like: personal goal, interpersonal goal, and team goals, because i get annoyed at character sheets that act like people just have one goal. and the full list of D&D skills and sets, even though i've never played D&D, because they seem useful. it also has "how much do they know about what's happening?" and "are they having a good time?" as some more example questions.

i have a lot in the sheet that would probably seem repetitive, but having similar questions in different categories means i think about them differently. i have "health" under Basics, for example, and that means if someone's using a cane it'll probably get mentioned there. but i also have "medical devices and mobility aids" under Appearance, because it tells me one thing that House has a bad leg because of muscle death and uses a cane, and another thing that the cane has flames up it and a skull handle and he uses it wrong. (if i'm misremembering House's cane please don't come for me it's been over a decade since i saw an episode of that show he's just still the most recognizable character i could think of with a mobility aid which is kind of sad)

possibly my favorite part of my character builder is this:

a cartoon by Tom Gauld (@myjetpack). it's right in the middle of my "personality and psychology" section. it's important for me to define what my characters do and don't know about because otherwise i end up with them knowing everything, and that's so boring. this comic just perfectly broke it down for my brain, so i plopped it in.

and a lot of my favorite questions focus on the contradictions and tensions and perception gaps inherent in being a person. what do they hate about the people they love, or love about the people they hate? what do they bring to their relationships, and what do they think they bring? what do strangers/authority figures/children/etc think of them, and what do they think people think of them? what's their biggest flaw and what do they think is their biggest flaw?

i could honestly go on forever about these; in fact i think this is still shorter than my answer that got deleted. so i'm going to cut myself off, but i'm happy to share more about them, and someday i may even post them for anyone else who might want them. i want to use them a bit first, though, to see what can be fine-tuned. in addition to character sheets, i've got sheets for Setting, Species, Religion, Nation, Magic System, Subculture (any group smaller than religion/nation/species that might have its own culture), and Scene (less worldbuilding, more to keep the details and goal of a scene straight in my own head, but still). these are all significantly less detailed than the Character one, but significantly more detailed than any one site i could find included when i was searching. and all my sheets, questions and prompts are gathered and compiled from all over the internet; i would not be able to provide sources because i did not bother to record them.

#*for the purposes of the sheet i define family as “the people you came from” #but that is not how i define it and is in direct opposition to many of my themes #sometimes we use language imperfectly because if we're obsessing over it at the building your character sketch stage #we'll NEVER get ANYTHING done #long post #character building #character design #character writing #worldbuilding #my writing #syf answers #sing-you-fools #id in alt text

[sebadztian]

I'm a bit late, but I was sick over the weekend and I couldn't post this.

Last Sunday, the 15th of October 2023 was White Cane Safety Day. For those of you who don't know what a white cane is, it's a mobility device being used by those who are visually impaired to navigate their way around the world.

Nowadays, you can customize the look of the cane and change the colours according to your liking, but I like to stick with the classic. My everyday cane has a black handle with white body and the red part at the bottom. But I have two custom canes with bright blue handle and neon green handle, just for fun.

I want to use this oppportunity to raise awareness about those who are blind/visually impaired. Not every one of us would be using a white cane, or a guide dog, but sometimes, it's not obvious that we're unable to see as well as others.

We have our own reasons for not using a cane or a guide dog. Some of those reasons are personal, others are situational. They might not live in a place where white canes are widely available/easily attainable and not everyone could afford a guide dog.

For those of you who might need one and/or are on the fence of getting one or the other, I highly encourage you to do so, or at the very least, to give it a try. Please try the cane, though, not the dog. A guide dog is a commitment and you shouldn't get one unless you can commit to him/her because guide dogs needs to be cared for.

My cane has greatly improved my quality of life and I've become much more independent with it. It helps me to stay safe when I'm out and about. It also helps in those awkward situations where I'd walk straight into a full-glass window/door, thinking that there's nothing there.

And if you see someone walking with a white cane and you wanted to help, please ask first! Please don't grab their arm and drag them around. First, it's disorienting, second, it's just rude.

And never, ever take our cane from us. I don't know how/why this is even a thing that I need to mention. This should be one of those 'unspoken rules' that you do not take someone's walking aid from them. The cane is a mobility aid/device. It's not a toy, nor it is an accessories. 'Blindness' comes in many shapes, degrees, and forms and while it might be fine for me to be without my cane for a while, it might not be the case for another cane user.

I guess, that's my main points for this post. None of them is a new point, but it seems that some people still need the reminder every now and then.

#real life stuff #white cane day #white cane #awareness #visual impairment #disability

[nonverbalturtlepower]

TMNT Headcanon time (2012) ☺️

Parts might or might not be projection lol.

Mikey: Autistic and ADHD. Stims constantly. Always moving. Rocking, flapping, wiggling his fingers and toes, chewing on things, food. Hoards thing he loves and nests. Trans, genderqueer trans boy, (oriented?) aroace, complicated relationship with gender and orientation. Part time mobility aid user (I have seen this boy hit so many walls and I'm only ten episodes in. He has to have chronic pain 😅 also what kind of effects could the mutagen have? Getting turned from a turtle to a turtle person has to have lasting effects lol. He sometimes uses his forearm crutches on patrol and always wears afos but his other mobility aids are mostly for at home use. CVI (this is projection but I am blind and i'm rubbing my grubby disabled paws all over this character lol. And I always see blind Leo. So my headcanon is blind Mikey. Because mutagen). He has trouble with his brain processing what he is looking at. He has trouble with depth perception, identifying objects (especially unfamiliar ones), takes him time to id objects, clumsy because his lower visual field isn't great, trips over things on the floor and runs into walls because he can't see them, but he's really good at compensating for it so sometimes he even forgets he's blind. Uses a white cane sometimes, mostly in new places (it's a super cool folding one Donnie made him in his favorite colors). Mikey loves bright colors because they are easier for him to see. (he's not totally blind. And his vision fluctuates depending on a number of factors).

Apraxic. Situationally mute. Mostly nonverbal, makes a lot of noises but doesn't really have understandable self generated speech anymore. Can repeat things he's heard before but it's not 100% under his control. Every so often he can ramble like he used to, but he has to be not stressed and comfortable. Aphasia. Sometimes wrong words come out if he can talk or they come out wrong (wrong order, slurred, gibberish). Closest thing to words that come out of his mouth are sounds that sound like words to people who know him.

Multimodel communicator. He has a speech generating device that Donnie built him and it sounds like his body voice or he can choose what it sounds like. Has a fuck ton of different apps and vocabularies. He really likes PODD and LAMP because of how they are arranged. He also has low tech AAC (his favorite is his custom one page opening PODD book that Donnie somehow made bullet proof??? and totally waterproof. Mikey doesn't get how it works but he's glad it does because he has dropped it in some gross stuff 😅 but he can just rinse it off and go about his day. Fucker has literally used it as a shield against the Kraang's blaster fire, not a dent to be seen. All the turtles know the signals Leo uses during patrols but they also use a ASL modified for their three fingers. And he loves picture cards. He'll be hanging out with his brothers and just hand one of them a no card to be obstinant. His fuck you (playful) card is his second favorite. His picture cards stay at home because they are easy to lose because small and hard to transport because it's several thousand 1.5 in square cards with velcro on the backs. He does have a small binder with a few in it for patrols, just in case.

Dyslexic and has a hard time reading print between that and his vision. Needs enlarged print, a magnifier, or braille for reading.

He has some sort of hearing impairment /might be deaf but he doesn't know what's going on exactly. He just knows he has a hard time understanding speech especially if there is a lot of background noise. And he can't hear well while he is actively focused on seeing (CVI).

More about gender. He's a trans boy bu he's also a demigirl. He's bigender. But he prefers masc pronouns. Or neopronouns.

He loves food. And he's also kind of a walking hazard to himself (clumsy much) so his brothers prefer he be supervised while cooking.

He's 5" even and the shortest of all of them.

He sticker bombs everything he can get his chronically grubby little hands on.

Chronic migraines and photosensitivity. He has a special mask ge keeps on him that doesn't have eye holes and is made out of light blocking materials so if he gets overwhelmed by the light he can just put it on and rely on his other senses. His ability to fight without thinking really comes in handy for this.

He is really fast with his forearm crutches because they make him more stable.

Oops all Mikey 😅

I'll make another post for Donnie I guess.

#long post #tmnt headcanons #tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2012 headcanon #tmnt mikey

[cripplecharacters]

(1)hi there! i'm currently developing a mage character in a fantasy setting, and she suffers with chronic pain due to multiple broken bones in a childhood accident. she uses a cane on a day-to-day basis to keep weight off of her ‘bad’ leg for extended walking periods. i had a question regarding in-universe healing (it's widely performed by clerics/priests and is supernatural in nature) and wanted to know if her being able to get blessings/healing wards off of priests (cont.)

(2) in order to temporarily alleviate pain on particularly bad days or after strenuous activity (ie. a battle) - and i wanted to know if that would come off as problematic? i don’t want to go anywhere near the ‘magical healing’ trope but didn’t know if it would still be harmful portrayal if she could potentially alleviate her pain occasionally. she’s also a traveller so this wouldn’t be frequent for her, as she only passes through a town, let alone one with a priest, every so often. thank you!

Hey anon! I really like the concept of this character, and appreciate that she uses a nonmagical mobility aid. The pain relief you’re proposing seems pretty similar to as-needed painkillers used in real life, and I think what I’d pay most attention to while depicting this is their impact on your character-- is she able to keep these with her, in case of bad days? Do they have varying impact depending on her pain levels and how much of a ‘dose’ she is able to receive? How do other people in this setting view magic healing? As I see your character, the less this is treated as a plot device to explain away the potential for pain in your character, and the more it’s integrated into your worldbuilding, the better it works in avoiding a magical cure trope. 

#anonymous #Mod teeth #cure trope #chronic pain representation #fantasy setting #canes

[nonspeakingkiku]

I posted 960 times in 2022

That's 960 more posts than 2021!

194 posts created (20%)

766 posts reblogged (80%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@quaking-cabinet

@five-thousand-loaves-of-bread

@aegleseeker

@the-stim-clown

@nonspeakingkiku

I tagged 81 of my posts in 2022

#actually autistic - 49 posts

#autism - 46 posts

#autistic - 44 posts

#kiku squeaks - 42 posts

#special interest - 35 posts

#nonspeaking - 24 posts

#nonverbal - 24 posts

#apraxia - 22 posts

#aac user - 22 posts

#dyspraxia - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 131 characters

#and yes i was actually in one. a whole criminal (like the bad kind. like the assaulter kind) was on campus so we locked down for it

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

New intro since need update things.

Name: Kiku or Percy. Refer to self in third person here mostly because is easier on brain and it help Kiku unmask. Kiku is getting more comfortable talk like this when need to.

Kiku is an adult aac user. Unreliably speaking, can't talk most of time so usually refer to self as nonverbal or nonspeaking. Have some speech at times but not often. And often when have speech it not understandable. Kiku is an AAC user. Kiku uses TD Snap, Proloquo2go, LAMP words for life, and Proloquo. Kiku hopes to get a dedicated device with LAMP on it at some point but don't know when/if that gonna happen.

Kiku is multiply disabled, autistic, adhd, dyspraxic/apraxic, dyslexic, other learning disabilities, hEDS, pots, possible mcas, fibromyalgia, and tourettes, probably mentally ill in some way, mobility aid user (want a wheelchair, forearm crutches, and a rollator. Was using a cane for a while but it make wrists hurt).

Kiku is nonhuman, and identifies with lot of different creatures.

Kiku has many special interests, ones currently most active are AAC, Minecraft, Slumberkins, Werewolves, Big Mouth (netflix show), my little pony, and bunnies.

Kiku is trans, genderqueer, genderfluid, autigender, and altersex. He/She/They/Fae and bunself and pupself neopronouns pronouns please. Neopronouns preferred. Kiku is not a woman.

Kiku is polyamorus and has two partners. Kiku is also objectum/posic. But usually not post about on main. Kiku has a side blog for that.

Kiku is an age regressor due to trauma and uses it as a coping mechanism. Agere is not Kink (although Kiku thinks there is nothing wrong with Kink as long as is between consenting adults).

Kiku is an adult and may post adult related content, especially related to aac, but this not super likely. But disabled and aac using adults can do adult things and access to words to talk about our bodies and possible things that could happen to our bodies is very very important. All aac user should have access to anatomical words for our body parts no matter what age they are.

AAC is very important to Kiku. Kiku is going to post about Kiku's new aac set up soon. If have read this far please send me your favorite emoji.

The email for Kiku's paypal is [email protected]

This is a link to Kiku's disability aids amazon wishlist

119 notes - Posted July 6, 2022

#4

Anyone else autistic not good be aware of danger? Kiku accidentally touch hot thing or almost walk out in road unless partner stop Kiku. An this only couple examples.

124 notes - Posted August 15, 2022

#3

Important post

Please share!

Kiku is a multiply disabled autistic person living in the south. Kiku is also an artist, digitally and traditionally. Kiku just got to try an ipad with procreate on it, with an apple pencil and a paper feel screen protector. And it was amazing 😭 Kiku was able to do art better than Kiku does on paper.

Kiku and Kiku's family are poor, and Kiku can't work. But Kiku can do art commissions. Kiku would love to be able to do commissions to help us actually have enough food and essentials, but the biggest barrier for Kiku with this is having the right tools.

So Kiku is going to attempt to crowdfund to get an ipad to use just for art, paper feel screen protectors, the app Procreate, an apple pencil, and a protective case for the ipad.

Kiku knows this isn't AAC related or mobility related but but it would change Kiku's and Kiku's families life so much for Kiku to be able to do good quality commission like Kiku can do on paper.

Kiku will have to do some math to get an idea of how much money Kiku needs to do this but Kiku will update this post once figure it out.

Goal is $ 600 to make sure taxes and fees are covered.

Kiku's paypal email is in pinned post at the bottom.

Kiku also has an amazon wishlist with the items on it for if someone wants to help but can't use paypal. The two most expensive items are the apple pencil and the ipad.

$0 / $600

130 notes - Posted December 4, 2022

#2

Kiku did not think this would be necessary but guess it is. If you follow an aac user and they post images of their aac system (an aac system is all the things that person use as aac) or any aac, ask and get permission before using any images. Our aac is almost always going to be custom to us and we will be able to recognize pictures of our systems because we customised them. My aac is my voice, it is part of me, specific to me. Every aac users aac will be different and the idea of someone using pictures of our aac without asking is deeply uncomfortable to me. I can't even put into words how uncomfortable it makes me. Uncomfortable enough i'm speaking in first person on a platform I generally reserve for unmasking my writing and speak almost entirely in the third person on. Ask for permission before using images of our aac and respect a no if one is given. Images of unedited apps can be found pretty easily as can low tech versions of aac pages (versions meant to be printed to use as a form of aac that doesn't require battery).

203 notes - Posted June 20, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Hi! Kiku has an important post, please share and help if can.

Kiku is trying to crowdfund the AAC app LAMP because it goes on sale soon for AAC awareness month. It is $150 plus taxes and fees so probably closer to $180.

Kiku would also like to raise funds for food because Kiku's family is low on food. Kiku's husband recently got a new job but we not know what his start date is.

For those that not follow Kiku, Kiku is a mostly nonspeaking high support needs autistic disabled aac user. Kiku currently uses Proloquo2go but would also like to have LAMP for the motor planning aspect which works very well for Kiku.

If you can't help please share.

If you want to donate, Kiku's partner has paypal, paypal email is [email protected]. Kiku is willing to make art for those who help if they want ☺️.

Edited because partner suggested putting paypal email in post.

Thank to everyone who is reblogging. ☺️

Kiku wants to add that LAMP go on sale the 10th (in 3 days) and sale ends the 16th, so if Kiku wants to get LAMP on sale need to get money by 16th.

Kiku currently has $30/$180 goal (to make sure can cover tax and everything)

Update: Kiku tried update earlier but looks like didn't go through but. Kiku's family was lower on food than though so used money have got so far for food and we got luck and managed get a lot with what we had.

So for LAMP Kiku is back to $0/$180 but not have worry about food such good thing ☺️

Update: Had someone donate ☺️

$15/$180

Sale starts today ☺️Kiku very excited

291 notes - Posted October 7, 2022

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