17 Comments
User's avatar
Joana P. R. Neves's avatar

What a beautiful moment the dizzy and queasy dance session in your room! So well written.

You so clearly and calmly expose how prejudiced our beloved London still is. And without writers and filmmakers like you, straight neurotypical, cis, abled people will never know.

Celestine Fraser's avatar

Thank you for such a lovely comment, Joana! Aha the dance session does seem to be the moment people pick up on... It's interesting, in writing, how the bits that you initially don't think are relevant/ or think are too specific end up being those that resonate!

erin's avatar

Maybe so many are disabled because of the hormone and surgery based damage?

Carol J's avatar

I am fortunate enough to count a number of various flavors of queer people in my friends and family circles. Even if I exclude anyone who has had hormones or surgeries there's a very visible number of people who are both queer and disabled. I've been running on the theory that for my disabled friends who've come out as queer, once you realize your body doesn't work the way it's supposed to in ability it's easier to start questioning some of the other things you've been told you're supposed to be or do.

Dorian's avatar

And what about the incredibly large population of people who don’t participate in those? This includes LGB people who do not receive that care, and there’s a large population of trans people who don’t undergo physical transition as well.

There’s also very high rates of physical illness in people who have undergone childhood abuse and severe trauma not related to gender or sexuality. Comorbidity is a thing.

daddy's issue's avatar

Damn erin you people like to brag about skipping science lessons while you spread your misinformation. Hope you step in dog turds today. 🥰

erin's avatar

And you have a nice day too. :-)

daddy's issue's avatar

Oh I will because I know your kind is going down under.

Elizabeth Edens's avatar

This is certainly a factor for any percentage that does take on hormones. It causes issues with every single system from endocrine to heart to brain function. But for many of the others, there’s likely a social gain to be had for identifying with victimization in whichever way. I was so glad to break out of that mindset after I left that community. Now I have struggles, but it’s nothing I would build an identity around.

erin's avatar

Thank you for that. I am new to (observing) this community and that seems to be a strong theme running through it. Much luck to you on your journey!

Cody N.'s avatar

I think you should find a new hobby. They're not birds, erin.

erin's avatar

So true. No, they are not. Mental illness is not a bird thing. And unfortunately, it affects all of us humans.

Lainie Ingram's avatar

What, you mean the very small percentage of people within the wider group? How would that account for anything?

erin's avatar

Minimization is not a fair argument.

It's part of the picture. The rest is for the person who opened this post to look into, no?

Ashley Hackett's avatar

This is super well written and a very interesting and nonjudgmental analysis of something I’ve often wondered about myself. Thank you for writing!

Tiffany's avatar

Another thing is that ppl who are disabled have to change appearance things like hair and clothes to be more physically comfortable which might make a person think more about how they socially 'fit in'