Disabled People Aren’t Trying to “Control” or “Attack” You About COVID Precautions. It’s About Our Rights and Safety

(Based on my Twitter threads from 8/6, 8/8, and 8/9.)

Conflicts I’ve had with people in my life over pandemic denial or minimizing have been some of the most difficult I’ve experienced. I see harm and want them to understand this is an issue that matters. Apathy and negligence have societal impacts. I’m concerned they don’t agree.

This disproportionately impacts marginalized and disabled people too. It’s eugenics. It’s wrong. It’s not “opinion.” I’m treated like a controlling monster for caring or saying their actions are a problem and make me feel emotionally unsafe to be friends. Then they lash out.

I’m trying to express my needs and advocate for what I know to be true. Selfishly, I guess, I also personally don’t want to get sicker or die or see that continue happening to my disabled friends. I get ostracized and attacked for that from people I thought cared about me.

It always gets personal; it’s about me being shaming, controlling, unreasonable. I’m not judging anyone for essential actions. I’m concerned about intentional abandoning of precautions in public where their “opinions” can spread severe illness to vulnerable people, to anyone.

I continue to be mystified that people who six months ago mostly agreed this is serious and wore masks, took at least some precautions, now lash out at me for wanting that to…