Disabled and spoonie friends in Ontario:

If you're struggling to get to your polling station today, a reminder you can ask your local incumbent's campaign for a ride.

They are likely to have the most volunteer resources, and your vote is private, not conditional on a ride.

Take advantage of their resources to get you what you need today.

#disability #spoonie #ontario #ONpoli #ontarioElection
#vote #disabled #disabilityJustice #hackTheSystem #democracy

Every day we have a choice. We can choose to adapt & take measures to safeguard our health. We can wear a respirator and clean the air. We can choose to protect ourselves AND those around us. We can choose to reject the mirage of “back to normal”. We can choose compassion.

We can stand in solidarity with disabled and high risk people who’ve been isolated and abandoned for five years. We can show them they’re not expendable. We can ensure we aren’t the reason someone dies or becomes further disabled.

We can stand up for the children who can’t protect themselves. Who are relying on the adults to do the right thing so they can have a healthy life, instead of disabling them for the sake of convenience.

We can stand with marginalized groups like people of colour and the unhoused who are both more likely to suffer severe outcomes from Covid. We can recognize that Covid is a social justice issue and we’re leaving too many people behind.

We can send a message to the government that we know the threat hasn’t passed. We know that “back to normal” was an economic decision and that proper mitigation measures haven’t been taken to ensure long term health and survival.

We can choose to demand better. We can say that our lives are worth protecting. Our health is worth protecting. Our planet is worth protecting. Rampant consumerism and end stage capitalism only benefit the billionaire class. The elite do not care about us

But we can choose to care about each other. We don’t have to let them divide us. We don’t have to kill ourselves so they can get even richer. We can say enough is enough, and a powerful way to say that is to wear a mask. It’s a great starting point, and it’s never too late.

We are more than our ability to be cogs in the machine of capitalism.

This idea that only those who “contribute” are worthy and that everyone MUST contribute is rooted in eugenics and fascism.

People relying on SNAP aren’t the problem. The billionaire oligarch & his friends are the problem.

Everyone deserves a living wage, safe housing, food and healthcare.

Telehealth is life changing for people with disabilities, seniors and those who live in rural areas.

Disabled people had been pushing for telemedicine options for years before the pandemic hit.

Covid restrictions made telemedicine a reality, and suddenly we had the type of accommodations we always needed.

For those covered under Medicare (which is many seniors and people with disabilities), telemedicine will be cut at the end of March.

It was previously due to be cut at the end of the year, but after outcry from the disability community it received a three month extension.

It’s critical people get loud about this now. Call your local lawmakers and tell them you need telehealth to continue.

People with disabilities can’t always go to the doctor in person. Leaving our homes can take a tremendous amount of spoons and cause week long setbacks (not to mention the risk of Covid and other infectious diseases).

There’s still time to ensure this vital accommodation tool remains funded!

https://open.substack.com/pub/jesshoneybadger/p/medicare-telehealth-is-set-to-expire?r=19dk2e&utm_medium=ios

There’s a lot of advice going around about growing your own food, moving off grid, having a bug out plan etc.

These are valuable activities to prepare for climate change and fascism, but largely futile if you’re not wearing a mask. You won’t be able to survive off grid and grow your own food if you become severely chronically ill.

These recommendations are also out of reach for the majority of disabled people who are too reliant on services, healthcare and the supply chain to “bug out”.

Make resistance efforts accessible & help protect us wherever you can

Stop calling people "stupid." Those who fall for far-right extremism aren't stupid. They are ignorant. And there's a clear difference. The first word is an ableist epithet. The second is a right judgment.

If you can manage it, have patience with people's ignorance because all of us are ignorant of many things. Otherwise, detach with love, and quit using ableist language to express your anger about the rise of neo-Nazism.