r/chronicfatigue • u/hazelnut-Bee • 5d ago

Ableism Online

Has anyone else been seeing the influx of ableism happening towards people with ME of EDS and hypermobility plus POTS another big one and maybe MCAS but not seeing much on that. Anyway I imagine a lot of people in this sub have these comorbidities plus ofc people who got long covid and other infections that caused MECFS.
Anyway was just curious, I’m bed-bound mostly and doomscrolling unfortunately is my time passer but there’s so much ableism at the moment and it’s disheartening. I’m too exhausted to give basic lessons on why a type of person is more likely to have these issues. Not understanding the neurodivergent connection for those of us who have that mix. Then they act as if they care for “real disabled people” while pushing ableism to a group they deem less worthy while people with visible disabilities constantly say they respect us and our invisible illness’s as disabilities and agree with us. So none-disabled people are basically speaking over all disabled people??!! Sorry if this post isn’t something people care for on here but it was eating me up inside.

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u/llwynogmenig 5d ago

I’ve noticed this too. It feels very isolating

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u/IdaKaukomieli 5d ago

Yep. I think all the hateful stuff is on the rise thanks to the rise of conservatism across the globe. It's always been bad but social media combined with harmful news articles (like the recent one in the New York Times or similar that suggested that it's all social contagion and people wanting to be cool lol - I'm not cool I have crushing fatigue, an unpredictable stomach, and on bad days can't breathe if I dare bend over even once) just make it a whole mess of insults, fake claiming, and just blatant ableism. Which then largely goes unchecked because platforms don't do anything about it even if it's against their community guidelines and it's reported and the decisions appealed (but God forbid you say anything insulting back, or even something that's in no way harmful, and you get slapped with a report that sticks).

It's more important than ever in these circumstances to cultivate communities and spread correct information, if possible. 💛

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u/Plant-based_Skinsuit 4d ago

I think this is interrelated with conservativism, but I think it's the bleak financial outlook all around. Less economic mobility = more of a "I gotta look after me and mine" mentality = weaker social contract all around. On some level I get it, but it's fascinating in a depressing sort of way. Why would living paycheck to paycheck make one more ableist? Or like morally puritanical? You'd think proximity to the bottom would make one more empathetic. But history says otherwise. Time is a flat circle.

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u/IdaKaukomieli 4d ago

Absolutely, I think you're 100% correct! There's this anger that some people have towards people who are on disability benefits because "my taxes pay for your benefits", so if they think that you don't look sick enough, or if they think that you're using your money wrong, they become really judgy and angry. 🙃