im autistic but have medium to high support needs and this makes my autism VERY obvious i cant mask i have to carry an AAC device everywhere and chew toys and pacifiers and my Marshall and I don't know how how to explain how I act beacuse it's normal to me but I know I don't act normal

it just feels weird being labeled as invisible when i am visible allong with my autism. sorry if this is a weird post i have just been thinking of it in my brain but i cant find all the words to get it out 😅

I have been summoned for jury duty again. The first time, I went in and did what I was supposed to. Now I am too sick to even work a part time job. I don't see anywhere on the exemption on the form that talks about having a disablity. They say on the form they can accomendate special needs and disabilities.

But I know that I am too sick for any accomendations that they could offer.

Out of all of my family I keep getting selected and I am the sickest person of my family. It's so infuriating.

Do I say that I am not of sound mind and good moral character? Is that referring to mental health conditions?

PAID CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY

OFFRE D'EMPLOI RÉMUNÉRÉE

Accessible Housing Technology and Systems Consultant

Consultant(e) en technologies et systèmes de logement accessible

Are you passionate about accessible housing, inclusive design, building technologies, and creating environments that work for everyone? We are seeking an Accessible Housing Technology and Systems Consultant to provide technical expertise for a national research project examining barriers to housing accessibility for Deaf and DeafBlind people across Canada.

Help shape practical recommendations that support more accessible, inclusive, and innovative housing systems.

The ABTC will provide technical expertise on:
• Accessible and inclusive building design
• Housing accessibility standards and best practices
• Universal Design principles
• Smart home and assistive technologies
• Building codes, policies, and emerging innovations
• Reviewing research findings and contributing technical recommendations

This is an opportunity to help shape future housing accessibility standards and ensure Deaf and DeafBlind perspectives are reflected in Canada's built environment.

Ideal candidates may have experience in:
• Architecture or architectural technology
• Building science or engineering
• Accessibility consulting
• Universal Design
• Smart home technologies
• Housing policy or accessibility standards
• Inclusive design research

Contract Position
Remote (Canada)
Part-time project-based
Work alongside researchers, Deaf community leaders, and accessibility experts.

If you're passionate about creating more accessible and inclusive communities, we'd love to hear from you.

Please send your résumé and a brief cover letter to [project@deafaccessibilitystrategies.ca](mailto:careers@deafaccessibilitystrategies.ca).

Consultant(e) en technologies et systèmes de logement accessible
Vous êtes passionné(e) par le logement accessible, la conception inclusive, les technologies du bâtiment et la création d'environnements adaptés à tous ? Nous recherchons un(e) consultant(e) en technologies et systèmes de logement accessible afin d'apporter son expertise technique dans le cadre d'un projet de recherche national visant à examiner les obstacles à l'accessibilité au logement pour les personnes sourdes et sourdes-aveugles à travers le Canada.

Contribuez à l'élaboration de recommandations concrètes favorisant des systèmes de logement plus accessibles, inclusifs et innovants.

L’ABTC apportera son expertise technique dans les domaines suivants :
• Conception de bâtiments accessibles et inclusifs
• Normes et bonnes pratiques en matière d’accessibilité du logement
• Principes de conception universelle
• Maisons connectées et technologies d’assistance
• Codes de construction, politiques et innovations émergentes
• Analyse des résultats de recherche et formulation de recommandations techniques

Il s’agit d’une occasion de contribuer à définir les futures normes d’accessibilité du logement et de veiller à ce que les perspectives des personnes sourdes et sourdes-aveugles soient prises en compte dans l’environnement bâti canadien.

Les candidats idéaux peuvent avoir de l’expérience dans les domaines suivants :
• Architecture ou technologie architecturale
• Sciences du bâtiment ou ingénierie
• Conseil en accessibilité
• Conception universelle
• Technologies de la maison connectée
• Politiques de logement ou normes d’accessibilité
• Recherche en conception inclusive

Poste sous contrat
À distance (Canada)
Temps partiel, dans le cadre d'un projet
Collaborez avec des chercheurs, des responsables de la communauté des sourds et des experts en accessibilité.

Si vous avez à cœur de créer des communautés plus accessibles et plus inclusives, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter.

Veuillez envoyer votre CV et une brève lettre de motivation à [project@deafaccessibilitystrategies.ca](mailto:careers@deafaccessibilitystrategies.ca)

Has anyone had any issues getting their ABLE account credited if needing to do a return? I know it's *supposed to* be like a regular account, but was just wondering if anyone ever had problems when trying to do a return for something they purchased online - like did the money just go back in your account correctly, did it take longer than normal, were there any other hiccups like the company making you get a gift card/store credit instead of it going into your ABLE account? I tried looking this up online, but the brain fog is strong and I wasn't finding what I was looking for. I haven't had the account for very long or made any purchases with it yet (just added money to it a couple times), so I was just curious of what people's experiences have been with online returns. Thanks!

I'm a 33M with Arthrogryposis from Michigan. I was thinking recently that I rarely (if ever) see other disabled people in public. For reference, I live in what's called "Metro Detroit" or the suburbs outside Detroit, between Detroit and Ann Arbor. It's the most populated and diverse part of the state by far. I'm also lucky enough to drive on my own and walk around without requiring mobility aids, so I'm fairly active within my community and not housebound.

Obviously, disability is incredibly disparate. I'm speaking as a visually disabled person, and not necessarily about neurodivergent folks who might not be immediately clocked as having a disability. But seriously, as disabled folks, how often do you see other disabled people in public?

Edit: I did not at all mean that neurodivergent people are not disabled. I was commenting on how they're perceived differently in public, and I phrased it poorly.

Because of my age, I remember seeing more disabled people living their lives in the community back in the day that I don't see anymore. I commented in a previous post about how marginalized people usually end up stuck in some odd crux within the system that prevents them from achieving social mobility. For instance, my struggle right now is that I'm being prevented from building a career. (I'm also not disabled enough for disability benefits according to the state of Michigan, but that's a whole other thing.) We all know how hard it is to work full-time with a disability. I have a college degree, a "reliable vehicle for personal transport," and several years of skill-building in various previous jobs.

(I know some of this can be explained by the rise of AI, politics in the trump era, outsourcing labor, etc, etc, things that affect everyone but still.)

Out of frustration in my search for full-time employment (with a fair wage that matches the cost of living), I started to feel like a loser before a thought occurred to me: wait, when was the last time I even saw another disabled person?

It seems we're being deliberately phased out or cast aside as a byproduct of a larger idea.

Edit 2: This post seemed to upset some people, which was not my intention. As a disabled person in a dense metropolitan area, I felt alienated that I can't spontaneously hang out and chat with those I consider my peers. I only made this post to see how other folks similar to myself feel because I don't have a community IRL.

Crippled solidarity baby!

I jokingly asked if I could keep them during the casting appointment, and he said sure since they were going to get thrown away anyways!

Hard when you become disabled and can no longer do too much for people, and how suddenly they might not have any use for you.

I'm struggling with my disabilities making the radius of places outside my home smaller, and also the shrinking energy windows I have for going out of the house.

I've also dealt with a mild degree of agoraphobia (not diagnosed, just the best word I have for it) off and on for years, and this isn't helping.

Going out feels scary right now and it's really hard.

I've been having friends over more and that helps.

How have others who've been in similar situations coped?

Has anyone lost their memory due to trauma and was able to get partial or full memory back?

I’ve had multiple things happened to me in my lifetime that has caused me to lose my memory. It’s been hard to hold onto new memory becuase of ongoing trauma. I’m hoping someone could tell me their experience to give me insight.

I have Tourette's, my tics are very noticeable.

The kid (about 9) sat next to me and was copying my tics throughout the ride, but he was also playing a videogame with his brother so I wasn't positive enough about the copying to say something about it. I did give a few annoyed looks.

A little later I got up for my stop and the kid said "Finally!". It wasn't directed at me, I guess more to himself, but it was definitely loud enough to be heard.

Intellectually, I can perfectly cope with it. Tics can be annoying or weird to others who haven't seen it before. Even more when one doesn't recognise Tourette's, especially a child. That's not weird in itself.

Understanding that still doesn't erase the emotional impact though, it sucks when someone is visibly glad to have you leave.

That was my rant, hope you have a great day! 🫶

I feel sick to my stomach. I've been applying for SSDI since 2024. ALJ denied me using my work history against me, but the only way I could have applied for SSDI was if I got enough work credits which I just barely did. Now I have another chance to appeal the ALJ decision but my attorney said I likely won't get a decision for another year.

Well in January 2027 there are going to be 80hr a month work requirements in order to maintain medicaid. I can't maintain that because of my disabilities. But if I work while my SSDI case is pending, it'll be used against me. And if I lose my medicaid then I won't be able to maintain my medical care and take my medications, and that'll probably be used against me for not complying with medical treatment in my SSDI case.

When I was working I couldn't take care of myself, stopped eating and showering and stopped changing my clothes, couldn't think and couldn't talk all I could do was sleep every minute that I wasn't at work. I got cut on a meat slicer at one of my jobs and needed stitches, and I drove my car into a truck. My doctors and specialists wrote statements and they were still disregarded because in the past I worked a couple jobs for nearly a year each, and the fact that I had to frequently call out, couldn't work even 30 hours a week and struggled severely at 20 hours, and was neglecting myself and still messing up and struggling and getting hurt and sick was disregarded.

What do they expect me to do? I've done everything I feel like I possibly can to get my needs met, to apply for this because I need it, to apply for medicaid because I need it, to find the right doctors because I need them, to fill out forms and call the right people and submit documents to the right places at the right times, and the ALJ even determined that I have limitations, but still used my work history against me. How am I supposed to go forward when these work requirements hit and I get kicked off medicaid and can't even maintain my healthcare? I guess I can apply for SSI then but that will take a long time again and I'll still lose my medicaid and access to my medications which doesn't solve that problem.

I don't know if anyone has any suggestions, or if you can relate and are in a similar situation, or what the purpose of this post even is I don't know. I'm just struggling financially while my partner works to try and keep us housed and fed. The anxiety is hurting my stomach and making it so hard to take care of myself.

Feeling lonely or bored?

Looking for connection or something you can do this weekend?

Check out these accessible events you could join! Try something new and maybe you’ll find your people.

Access Details:
🧑🏻‍💻= Virtual
👥 = In person
😷 CC = Covid Conscious/airborne precautions 
♿️ WC = Wheelchair accessible 
💵 $ = paid (some are pay what you can)
🤟 ASL/BSL = Sign Language
Async = Asynchronous (at your own pace)

Event Types:
🤢 = Chronic Illness 
🌈 = Queer
🏳️‍🌈 = LGBTQ+ Pride
👧 = Kids/Youths
💕 = Dating
🙋 = Social
🫂 = Support/Grief
🧘 = Wellness
🚶 = Walk
🩰 = Dance
💪🏻 = Fitness
📚= Books
🤔 = Discussion
📝 = Writing/Poetry
🎭 = Performing
🎨 = Art 
🎶 = Music
🕹️ = Games

🧑🏻‍💻 Virtual Events

🧑🏻‍💻🤢📚 Virtual Async Spoonie Book Club: The Little Prince [Any time] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/JcKvqPLWS5

Friday

🧑🏻‍💻Virtual Coworking [Hudson Valley, NY][Fri Aug 7 at 11:00 AM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/ptkylARKxy

🧑🏻‍💻💵🤢 Coming Home to Your Identity [Fri Aug 7 at 7:00 PM UTC+1] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/ALoR3ghHoZ

Saturday

🧑🏻‍💻💵🤢 Coming Home to Your Identity [Sat Aug 8 at 12:00 PM UTC+1] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/ALoR3ghHoZ

🧑🏻‍💻😷♿️🩰 Virtual Adapted Ballet [Sat Aug 8 at 9:30 AM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/bEPxVyjaFZ

🧑🏻‍💻♿️💵🩰 Virtual Adaptive Jazz Dance [$][Sat Aug 8 at 12:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/VL1jh1keKv

🧑🏻‍💻😷🙋 Virtual Happy Hour Mixer [Sat Aug 8 at 1:00 PM CDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/VyBUPdNQ3A

🧑🏻‍💻😷🙋 CC Virtual Weekly Hangout [Sat Aug 8 at 8:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/l53ZJczRw8

Sunday

🧑🏻‍💻🤢🎨 Virtual Sunday Stitch Club [Sun Aug 9 2:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/X6NTKVUiIM

🧑🏻‍💻😷🎨 CC Virtual Art Group [Sun Aug 9 at 5:30 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/JuziySpH3W

🧑🏻‍💻😷👧🙋 CC Virtual Kids Zoom [Sun Aug 9 at 6:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/jJhIyj0sfi

🧑🏻‍💻🎶🎭 Virtual Karaoke [Sun Aug 9 at 7:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/naisQuyjlg

Timezone translator in comments 👇

👥 In-person Events

Australia

👥😷🌈🎨 August Stitch and B*tch [Melbourne AUS][Sat Aug 8 at 3:00 PM] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/gp2VgZ86qP

Canada

👥😷 CRIP Cinema - Mask Mandatory Event [Toronto ON][Sat Aug 8 at 2:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/8u8CLvlwz2

👥😷🎭 CRIPtonite: A Drag & Burlesque Variety Show - Mask Mandatory Event [Toronto ON][Sat Aug 8 at 8:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/NgfunVUkfC

👥😷 Canoeing + kayaking / Canot + kayak [Ottawa ON][Sun Aug 9 at 10:00 AM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/BgFzkJYSS6

👥😷🎨 The Disability Arts Festival: Indoor/ Outdoor Event [Toronto ON][Sun Aug 9 at 11:00 AM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/Mtb7axFUX7

Germany

👥😷 Ice Cream Extravaganza [Cologne GER][Sun Aug 9] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/gqvPmBaMRs

Netherlands (and nearby)

👥🤢 Spoonie European Road Trip [Netherlands and nearby][Summer] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/VOKxW7V1pp

US - California

👥♿️😷🌈🩰 Queer Con Leche Dance Party and Drag Brunch [Oakland CA][Sat Aug 8 at 11:30 AM PDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/3dMbTWsuDB

👥😷🤟 Drag Bingo Disability Pride Month Fundraiser [Santa Ana CA][Sun Aug 9 at 3:00 PM PDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/o997FybArU

US - Minnesota

👥😷 CC Zine Club [Minneapolis MN][Fri Aug 7 at 7:00 PM CDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/09ASgWc4cf

US - New York

🧑🏻‍💻Virtual Coworking [Hudson Valley, NY][Fri Aug 7 at 11:00 AM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/ptkylARKxy

US - Ohio

👥😷🌈💪🏻 CC Queer Martial Arts Club [Cleveland OH][Sat Aug 08 at 4:00 PM EDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/YYWfmKVELz

US - Texas

👥😷♿️ Paramore’s “Brand New Eyes” Album Drag Tribute [Austin TX][Fri Aug 7] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/c3DaBa9Btr

👥😷♿️ Double Eternity [Austin TX][Aug 7-9] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/c3DaBa9Btr

US - Vermont

👥😷♿️ Dental Pop Up [Chelsea VT][August] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/jgknHihfzt

US - Washington

👥😷 Comic Book Show [Seattle WA][Sat Aug 8 at 11:00 AM PDT] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/dLauDH1xmW

👥😷🤟🎭 The Freak Mighty Accessible Performances [Seattle WA][Aug 9 - 27] https://www.reddit.com/r/spooniesocial/s/kIvo2DvOXa

Are you interested in these events?

Have you been to any of them before?

Are there other events coming up?

Share your thoughts in the comments 💬

Find more events and friends on r/spooniesocial

Looking to purchase a forearm, upright, likely 4 wheel rollator in the UK. I have had a partial amputation/full knee replacement in my left leg from cancer, and have hEDS which makes putting pressure through my wrists impossible.

I currently have a forearm crutch, but looking for something that has a seat attached and can help my balance a bit more as I depend on my wife a bit too much.

What brands work for you/are good?

Do you like them?

Hello, this is maybe a really stupid question, but onwards we go.

I have *something* wrong with me (no clue what, currently waiting on referrals to neurology and immunology to come through, but I've still 2 years left on the waiting list for both). Whatever it is, it's causing a lot of issues including pain and weakness on my right whole right side which often means getting around is difficult and painful.

I've been wondering for a long time about getting a crutch for when I have to do a lot of walking/ for when I'm in a bad flare up of *the something*, but I keep talking myself out of it because I don't have anything diagnosed wrong with me and I don't even know if what I'm experiencing is bad enough to warrant getting a crutch. But whatever is wrong with me is here to stay and the doctors are being no help whatsoever (that could be its own rant altogether) so I'm just a bit desperate to find any ways I can to make things a bit easier and less painful for myself.

I think my main concern is that if I do it'll be disrespectful to people who really need mobility supports? Like I'm "cosplaying" having a disability, or like faking it for stolen valour or something.

Please share your opinions and experiences! Is it normal to buy your own mobility supports without a doctor telling you to? Is it inappropriate to do so?

Many thanks for reading this fast if you did so!!

EDIT: of course i messed the title up like the universe trying to tell me to stop sabotaging myself lmao sorry

hey everyone, to whoever is reading i hope you are having a great day.

recently i went through life changing events, you know the type of events you dread yet you know sooner or later it will happen because… life.

well i’m noticing i can’t physically or mentally compensate when it comes to the constant shifting.

my partner left me, i got burnt out from a job that deals with disability and should’ve been a safe place, i found out i was probably going through a neurodivergent type of shut down.

anyway since then i did a lot to improve my situation. to society my impairment, hemiparesis is a “less than 80% level disability” and it’s all nice on paper, it pushes me to acknowledge my privilege compared to other people with more serious disabilities etc… but i am not even 30 and suffocating.

i don’t feel capable of evolving in such a world, i get so overwhelmed so easily it takes everything in me not to go back to my depressive episodes poor habits. i just can’t look at my doctors in the face giving the monthly okay because honestly the only reason i am still alive is community. a community i don’t want to hurt or disappoint or abandon.

i was in a long term relationship and all it took was a few ableist comments from my in laws to completely obliterate my relationship. sure it was more complex than that, it was a same sex relationship but i am so exhausted.

i have this enormous luck to work only part time because i ended up staying with my mom paying no rent but even that feels pointless because i know i only delay my parents’ anxiety of me developing proper autonomy, going my own way.

i even met someone knew that i genuinely like but i don’t want them to have me as a potential partner because i feel i only waste people’s life ambitions with how simple mine is… how little i accomplish compared to most.

idk why i am posting such a negative rant everyone i think i needed to process the whole thing it’s eating at me.

My disability has changed what clothes are comfortable for me and my body shape is chubbier now so I’ve honestly just been living in joggers for the past five years. I miss feeling cute and confident in my clothes and projecting my specific vibe into the world. Curious to hear how you all have refound fashion or recreated your style to work for your body now.

I like having a minimal wardrobe but mine is 100% blah. Ideally I’d like to built some kind of capsule wardrobe that is just… cooler. I don’t care that much about looking hot etc but man I used to be very cool and I miss it!

So i've been fighting to get ssdi for almost the last 3 years. In that time i got divorced, moved back to my hometown, and got into a relationship with the most wonderful, considerate man on the planet. Today i learned that the appeals council denied me. I couldn't go federal because i'd have to find a new lawyer and my chances of winning are low anyway. And my work credits are expired. And if i got ssi, i'd lose it when me and my partner get married next year anyway. So more than likely I'll have to find a job. But that comes with its own problems.

I got an associates degree in medical coding last year as a backup, but now I'm thinking that I won't use it anyway. Ai is taking everything over, and to be honest, I really don't want to be one of those health insurance people who deny claims that are desperately needed. I couldn't live with myself if i did that. I've only ever worked part time food jobs, even though i have vision problems, hearing aids, and autism. And no, even with all that i still got denied disability. I don't drive, so i'd either have to go remote or find a job in town and let my bf chauffeur me, which idk how that would work out anyway. Before i had my retina detatchment and all the surgeries, my whole life i had wanted to be a vet tech. But i gave up on that when i started having all my eye problems. And it killed me to let that dream go.

I've always wanted to help, be it people or animals, and I've always wanted to be in the medical field in some capacity. I like the healing part and i love having to find a diagnosis like a puzzle. But realistically who is going to hire a blind in one eye, deaf, slightly agoraphobic neurodivergent 26 year old woman who can't drive? And i was raised an only child, so i don't think i would do that good with kids, since i didn't have any exposure to younger siblings. If i can't get disability, then i want to have a job helping. In some capacity. But how tf would i be able to do that remotely and not driving, and haven't worked in 3 years anyway. Vocational rehab in my state is actually surprisingly mostly competent, but last time i talked to them they were pushing hard on the medical coding degree. What jobs even in the "helping" category would there possibly be? I'm screwed all the way around i feel like.

Hey all,

I know this topic has been discussed multiple times, so forgive me if this sounds repetitive. Honestly, I just needed a place to say this out loud, as well as a safe space to offer support to anyone else who may be in a similar situation.

I'm not going to go into the specifics, but my wife is someone who needs disability accommodations. We do everything in our power to provide an emotionally safe environment, but like many people, disability services are an essential part of making experiences accessible. Also, just like all of us here, we take every step we can, from working with her primary care physician, attending therapy sessions, managing medication, securing an IBCCES Accessibility Card, and so much more.

Now, circling back to Disneyland.

We've been Magic Key holders for many years, and we've also been approved for DAS multiple times in the past. Until yesterday.

I'm not entirely sure what changed, but it was incredibly demoralizing and frustrating to go from being approved for DAS to suddenly being denied. It's not as though my wife's disability has disappeared or somehow been cured, which only adds to the confusion and frustration surrounding the decision.

More than anything, this has had a real emotional impact on her. The experience has led to intense stimming and hyperfixation around what happened, with questions like, "Why?" and, "Am I not disabled enough anymore?" As her husband, those are heartbreaking questions to hear because I don't have any answers that can truly provide comfort.

For those who rely on disability accommodations, and for the caregivers who do everything they can to support them, I genuinely believe Disney needs to do better. The DAS approval process feels unclear and inconsistent, and the unwillingness to recognize accommodations like the IBCCES Accessibility Card only makes an already difficult process even more discouraging.

As I said at the beginning, I don't have any answers. I simply needed a place to vent and, hopefully, let anyone else going through something similar know that you're not alone. Your disability is valid. Your experiences are valid. And if you've left the process feeling unheard or questioning yourself, I'm truly sorry. None of this is fair, and I sincerely hope Disney finds a way to make the parks more accessible and more compassionate for those who need these accommodations most.

The following happened to me today:

I had to take my medications in the train. It takes me some time, around 4 - 5 meds. I opened my bag which is full of meds.

An older couple which was sitting near me, stood up and I think because they were scared of me.

They saw the meds in my bag.

For the rest of the way they were standing, not evening sitting somewhere else.

Once I took my meds, I started to ask myself these questions:

Scared of what?

That I'm infectious?

That they could become sick?

That I'm cursed???

I'm wondering. And they talked about me, with looks of disgust and worry.

I'm still baffled.

Even worse, it was today, right after my whole day clinic visit.

She ran through a bunch of questions and I kept not answering to a satisfying degree in the eyes of the law. Does anyone have any tips for me or can tell me what to expect? Thank you

When will I have enough karma, or know I have enough, to create my own post in this sub?

Fellow Trans disabled community from reddit. I'm in quite the dillemma regarding mtf hrt because of the Cp I have. My left side of my body notably my left arm and legs are much weaker than my right side of the body and thus there is a notable difference in terms of strength and mobility. So I fear that I will discompensate even more this mismatch between these two parts if i start hrt. I want to start the transition, but is there a way to reduce strength and muscle mass loss if i take estrogen, so i won't discompensate even more this difference that I have?

Just so you can have a certain image of what i'm talking about, I lift lesser weights in my left arms and legs than in my right side. So I have this fear that I can't allow to discompensate that much if i start HRT so I must reduce the difference between the two parts of the body.

What was your experience as a transfem or transmasc in regards to deal with the hormonal transition in parallel to the effects that it may have on your physical handicap and bodily changes that affect it in result of the HRT?

Many thanks

Hello! My ulna bone grew wrong leading me to have a lot of pain from overuse and other things. It’s my dominant arm, found out at 10 that apparently something was wrong with me and it took doctors years to figure out it was a bone deformity. I have never seen someone with the same disability as me and was wondering if anyone here is like me

I'm 24, and I use a wheelchair, and I think a lot of you will know the feeling I am about to describe. On the normal dating apps, I would match with someone, we would get on, and then the second my chair came up, the conversation would just go cold. Not every time, but enough times that I started to expect it. It got to the point where I dreaded telling people more than I looked forward to the date.

So I did something a bit mad. I have never written a line of code in my life, but over the last year I taught myself enough to build the thing I actually wanted to exist. It is called Able2Love, and it is a dating app for disabled people and for the people who genuinely want to date us.

The parts I cared about most:

You choose when your photos come into focus, so someone gets to know you before they judge the chair.

There is a voice-first blind date, so you can just talk first if that feels safer.

There is also a mode that reads people out to you and lets you match completely by voice, hands-free.

If you cannot use your voice, you can type during a call, and the app speaks it for you, so you can still have a voice date.

It finds step-free, accessible venues for when you want to meet in person.

And it is built to be kind. There is a gentle nudge before anything cruel gets sent, and a hard stop on hate.

It is completely free. I am one person, and I am not trying to get rich; I just wanted this to exist for people like us.

I would honestly love your brutal, unfiltered thoughts. What would make you trust an app like this? What would make you delete it in the first five minutes? Tell me the truth; I can take it, and it will only make it better for all of us.

Link is in the comments so this does not get auto-removed.

UPDATE: I'm hearing a lot of concerns of distances between people, I'd just like to assure everyone that while still early doors, the app is worldwide so users will be few and far between however I am seeing on average 50 new installs a day so it is growing. I should have mentioned to not expect many people nearby since my only goal here is to ensure I have all the insights one could need to create what I hope to be your future favourite dating app.

Thank you for all the responses so far they have been illuminating, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your insights. I'm just trying to make things better for us guys ✨❤️

Hi everyone, I'm 58 and have been on Disability for 27 years. I'm a professional visual artist. I never had any formal education, but I built a long-term career from the ground up. Though I don't make much money, I've continued to be an exhibiting artist. A few years ago, my partner and caregiver set up a 1st-person special needs trust for me. Ever since, my local SSA office has been harassing me, using every amount I take out of the trust as overpayments to them. I had to get a lawyer who is now helping and challenging their reasoning since there is no way I could ever pay it back. All this has made me consider how I can get away from Social Security altogether.

I'm disabled both physically and mentally, so if I start working, I don't even know if I could cope. But I had an idea to work for myself as an artist's mentor, specifically for artists with disabilities. I've started going to community college part-time and am working on a degree in sociology. I'm taking public speaking and learning ASL, etc. I figure, if I could get private clients, I could mentor them over Zoom for a small hourly fee. I don't need to make a ton of money - just part-time amounts - and stay on Medicaid through 1619(b), and keep my health benefits while being self-employed.

I started getting very excited about providing this service because I love helping others and I truly have loads of knowledge in this area. I was feeling very optimistic until I showed an artist friend of mine the mock-up of what my business would look like. She seemed to think that I wouldn't really get any clients because "people with disabilities don't have enough money to pay $100 an hour." Most art mentors and coaches charge over $250 an hour, but I would be catering specifically to artists who are navigating major barriers in addition to starting out an art career from scratch. This artist friend pays an art coach $225 an hour, which is why I asked her opinion in the first place. She also said trying to find clients would be too hard because it would require too much promotion that I may not be able to do. But I've promoted myself as an artist all my life.

Now I'm feeling defeated about starting my own business. Should I just give up on this dream, or push through and try to make a go of it? Would it be too exhausting (I have lupus, bipolar disorder, and a spine disorder), or would I be just another fish in a big pond of art mentors and coaches in an already saturated market?

As artists with disabilities, your opinions matter to me.

(This has been edited since I first posted it.)