Disability Perks

Disability perks is a phrase that I really stole from John Green, from "The Fault in Our Stars". He talks about cancer perks in it - about the things that people give to children and young people because they have cancer. It's an interesting concept, disability perks - especially when it comes to children.

The other day I went with one of my jobs to Seaworld, with 8 children and 7 workers. Two days later, one worker and I went with two children. It was exhausting. It was great.
It certainly wasn't the place for all of our kids - one of them really had a bad day. He didn't enjoy himself. Others weren't too fussed on Seaworld, and some of them absolutely loved it.

When I talk about disability perks - I am not talking about equal rights. I am not talking about accessible parking or accessible bathrooms. These are not perks - this is equality and basic rights. I'm talking about those little things extra.

I am talking about the people who give the children an extra bag of sweets, because they're in a wheelchair.

I am talking about the people who stop the characters in dress up to take photos with our kids, and shoo away all the "able-bodied" children.

I am talking about the fact that the children with the wheelchairs got the pathways parted for them like the red sea (but not those without the visible disabilities.)

Some people think those perks are sweet and kind. Disability perks kind of get under my skin a bit. I think it is just another marker of society not knowing how to treat people with disabilities and not simply seeing them as children.

But, am I going to actually say no to them?

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