Member-only story
I am about to become an ambulatory wheelchair user — this is what I want you to know
Sometimes I walk, and this is now how I roll
It wasn’t until this year, pre-COVID, that thanks to the NDIS — I hired a wheelchair for the first time. I had previously hired a manual chair for my friend to push me around Supanova last year, but this was my first powered chair.
It was life-changing. Due to my disability, I can’t walk long distances without needing regular rest breaks. When I would stay in Melbourne, I would be exhausted every night I would collapse into bed. When I would do week-long comedy festival trips — in the end, I would be running on adrenaline. In February it was the first time I was able to be in Melbourne and NOT be tired from walking.
I got the call earlier this week that my wheelchair has arrived. I am so excited; however, I am quite aware of the misconceptions that come with someone who is a wheelchair user. Here — I hope to dispel some of the myths plus tell the truth about what this means for me.
1: By having my own wheelchair, I am taking it away from someone who needs it
No. I am sick of society triggering my internalised ableism. Just because I, and in fact, anyone else, that uses their legs doesn’t mean I don’t need a wheelchair to help me at times. Society tells the world that you can either be a wheelchair user or not, there is no in-between. This, in turn, can cause the disabled person (me) to feel not worthy because I can still walk. When in actual fact, society should be judging it on the basis of everyone’s individual circumstances.
2: I am not faking it nor has my disability has gotten worse
Just because I am not using my wheelchair every moment of every day, does NOT mean I am faking my disability. It does not mean that I have been cured of my disability. You want to know what it means? I means that some days I use my chair and somedays I don’t. Whether I use my wheelchair will depend on what I plan to do on my trip.
3: My Wheelchair is an extension of me. Do not touch it
This is more of the case in the manual chair; however, I am still applying it to me. I learnt from my best friend who uses a wheelchair more than me, very early on in our friendship. That I don’t touch or do something to her chair without explicit concent to do so. Even though my chair is electric — the same still applies. Don’t fiddle with the controls or the bag attached to the chair unless you either tell me, or I direct you to do so.
